CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Government College Teachers’ Association has opposed the State government’s decision to amend the Tamil Nadu Private Universities act, alleging that the move would encourage the privatisation and commercialisation of higher education in the State.
S Suresh, general secretary of the association, said that the amendments passed during the Assembly session on September 8 would make it easier for private institutions to establish universities.
Under the Act, institutions seeking to establish a private university are required to have 100 acres of land and maintain a fixed deposit of Rs 50 crore.
The new amended provisions reduced the land requirement to 12 acres within Chennai Corporation limits, 18 acres in other corporations and municipalities, and 50 acres in other areas.
The mandatory fixed deposit has also been reduced to Rs 25 crore.
“These changes are encouraging private investment in higher education at a time when State universities are facing a shortage of funds,” Suresh said. “Permanent teachers have not been appointed in State universities for more than a decade. A lot of funds through the UGC have also been stopped.”
He also alleged that PhD programmes had not been permitted in government arts and science colleges and aided colleges for the past five years, while opportunities for faculty career advancement had not been provided despite a government order on the matter.
“Previous governments have failed to adequately strengthen public higher education institutions. That’s why we want the government to withdraw new amendments, as it can lead to the commercialisation of higher education and affect affordable higher education for poor and marginalised students,” opined Suresh.