Chief Minister Nitish Kumar once again expressed concern over the happenings in the upcoming international institute Nalanda University at Rajgir following the resignation of its Chancellor George Yeo, removal of Vice-Chancellor Gopa Sabharwal, founder Chancellor Amartya Sena and some other members of the Board of Governors including lord Meghnad Desai. In a letter to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, the CM told her that the Centre should not tamper with the essence behind the ‘Idea of Nalanda’.
On earlier occasions too, Nitish, who has been associated with the project from day one when the concept of then President APJ Abdul Kalam was translated into action with Bihar Government passing a legislation for the revival of
the glory of Nalanda, expressed his displeasure of the happenings and said that it would hurt the project if people who had been associated with it from its inception were forced to leave it.
like Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, his successor George Yeo too alleged intervention of the Central Government in the matters of the Nalanda University. Yeo, a former Foreign Minister of Singapore, had been appointed second Chancellor almost one year back. The upcoming University, which had established only two schools, comes under the Ministry of External Affairs.
The CM in his letter to Swaraj, written last week but released on Monday, said it was surprising that without amending the Nalanda University Act, 2010, the Centre reconstituted Governing Body. “This has affected the prestige and credibility of the University,” he said.
It had been felt that the provisions related to the formation of the Governing Body in the Act were flawed and the Central Government was committed to amend the Act. Therefore, Giovernment of India had requested the Nalanda Mentor Group to continue functioning as the Governing Board till the said Act could be amended.
Nitish said, “All the stakeholders are worried about the direction in which the University is headed. Nalanda University is still in its infancy and therefore, the guidance and patronage of people, who have been associated with the University since its inception, is required for the academic continuity and institutional progress. The University will flourish only if the academic autonomy and continuity is allowed and maintained.”
lauding the role of Sen, Yeo and Desai, the CM said the Chancellor Yeo reportedly resigned from his post citing Centre’s intervention as affecting the autonomy of the University. The fact that an important decision of dissolving Governing Board and constituting new one was taken without consulting the Chancellor was disturbing and raise question about the autonomous nature of the University, Nitish said.