Union Minister writes Odisha CM to rectify Odisha Universities Act; politics deepens

Seeking necessary changes in the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020 introduced by the previous BJD government, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written a letter to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Mjahi. 

In his letter, Pradhan urged the Odisha Chief Minister to rectify the discrepancies in the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020. He also mentioned that the state government had enacted the law with a political motive. So, the universities have lost their importance. It is also in conflict with the UGC guidelines. 

This letter from the Union Education Minister has triggered a political slugfest with the BJD warning that the BJP is inviting corruption in the education system as witnessed in other states. 

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“A corrupt syndicate is going on in BJP-ruled states. We feel that the efforts are on to replicate the model of other states in Odisha. I think the changes in the Act will give rise to grave repercussions,” said Chinmay Sahoo, BJD spokesperson. 

On the other hand, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said, “When they introduced the amendment act, we then opposed it inside and outside the Assembly. The Union Education Minister’s request to the Chief Minister has importance at the present time.”

The Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020 contains provisions such as a Vice Chancellor’s tenure will be four years instead of three years, the appointment of principals will be by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) and teaching staff through the Odisha Sub-ordinate Staff Selection Commission (OSSSC), abolishment of Senate and there will be an administrative officer of the government in the syndicate. That apart it mandates that there will also be a representative of the government in the Vice Chancellor Selection Committee. Some educationists had then moved the High Court alleging the universities were losing their speciality due to these provisions. 

Now the Vice Chancellors of several universities welcomed the BJP government’s move to amend the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

“We didn’t have the autonomy of the university. This apart, we faced problems due to the amendment. But it was the government’s decision,” said Prof Sabita Acharya, Vice Chancellor of Utkal University.

Fakir Mohan University’s Vice Chancellor Prof Santosh Tripathy said, “There is a necessity for the rectification of the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020. If I am to say about my university, now I am not able to appoint teaching staff and clerical staff as I don’t have autonomy. I am even not able to introduce any syllabus. When these provisions are abolished, we can do those things and will be benefitted.