Higher edu passed into hands of private bodies, claims assn

The executive body of the Non- Government Colleges Management Federation of Punjab and Chandigarh has called upon the state government to save higher education.

The federation vowed to fight for their rights if the DPI and Higher Education Department continue to take arbitrary decisions, thus undermining the autonomy of colleges in Punjab and Chandigarh.

The meeting was held at Guru Nanak National College, Doraha, to discuss the burning issues confronting colleges.

Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina, chief of the Non-Government Colleges Management Federation of Punjab and Chandigarh, said higher education had been gradually passed into the hands of private bodies, which act as money minting machines. He said students can procure a degree from such establishments, but cannot add any value to it.

“Rather than discouraging this trend, the government is allowing them to prosper by giving them every possible support. It has become the prerogative of the high ups to run higher education institutions while the trusts and societies continue to suffer due to lack of resources, funds and economic stability, to the utter disconcern of the government,” Chhina added.

He said they would continue to take up the issues of aided colleges with the DPI and other regulatory bodies to save higher education in the state.

Chhina said they would seek time from Panjab University’s Vice-Chancellor and the delegation would apprise her about the adverse impact on aided colleges.

The Society and Trust run institutions should be financially encouraged by the Centre and state. While discussing the problems faced by the higher institutions, he said higher education should not be for profit-pursuit whereas private universities run like business houses, charging exorbitant fees from students.

General secretary SM Sharma said the issues, including pending DPI grants, implementing 95 per cent grant-in-aid schemes instead of 75 per cent for appointment of teachers, filling up of vacant posts, repealing the reservation policy clear distinction in functioning of colleges and universities, immediate release of the pending post-matric SC scholarship to the colleges in one instalment, road tax waiver for vehicles owned by colleges and better coordination of state universities were also discussed

in details.