Centre trying to hijack Anna University through bifurcation move, suspects Stalin

A recent State Cabinet meeting had decided to constitute a committee comprising five senior Ministers to look into the possibility of splitting the university to get the Institute of Eminence (IoE) status.

The DMK leader also alleged that the Centre and the State were trying to remove Anna’s name from the university, which is the identity of the Tamils. “It looks like that the committee, constituted by the government, to bifurcate the university, would create backdoors for the Centre to take over the institution and its name Anna,” he claimed.

Alleging that the Centre awarding IoE status to Anna University was purely to take control of the institution by the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Stalin said still there is no information from the Centre or the State about whether there would be 69% reservation when the university attains the IoE status.

The new rules after the IoE status will also pave way to grab 30% of the total seats and allot it to foreign students, Stalin said, adding “this would affect the prospects of the local students”.

Claiming that that the IoE tag will also permit the university to have tie-ups with other foreign institutions without the consent of the State government, Stalin said that in future, all the funds to improve the standards of education in the university, will not come directly to the State.

“At this juncture, the State government should constitute a high-level committee comprising former vice chancellors, academicians and one high court judge to study whether the IoE tag would secure the rights of the State, whether it would improve the standards of higher education of the university and whether reservation policy will be upheld,” Stalin said adding “the government should also organise a public hearing comprising professors and the students to get their opinions”

Stalin said all the reports should be tabled in the special session of the Tamil Nadu Assembly for discussion to retain Anna Universityunder State control.