Higher Edu Commission: Activists urge Centre to withdraw draft

“The proposal to replace UGC will have far-reaching consequence. It may even destroy all public-funded institutions built over years through hard labour of eminent educationists and with tax payers’ money,” said PB Prince GajendraBabu,general secretary, SPCSS-TN. The Indian working class, he added, has contributed to the state-funded higher education institutions through their savings in LIC and Provident Fund.

Stating that the standards have been set in accordance to the market needs and taking into an account of the societal needs, he said, “A proposal that will have such a far reaching consequence needs a wider consultation and public hearing in every state and Union territory.”

“The effect of the Draft Act would be that all the enactments made by all the states establishing various universities till date would become obliterated. Therefore, the Draft Act is directly in conflict with the principle of federalism enunciated by the Constitution,” he said.

The draft act encroached upon the rights of the state government, he alleged. It would only widen the disparity between socially and educationally backward class, he said. “The Draft Act does not distinguish between a State University and Private University. This is precisely what the WTO- GATS mandates,”he said.

Stating that WTO-GATS demanded a level playing field which the Draft Act has made possible, he charged that it was not in accordance with the Constitution of India but as per the wishes of the WTO.