Demand to drop proposal to scrap UGC

Musheerabad: The Telangana Save Education Committee on Monday demanded withdrawal of the Centre’s proposal to scrap the UGC and replace it with a higher education commission. Addressing a roundtable conference convened by the committee at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram, Prof Haragopal asserted that the Centre had decided to do away with UGC after encountering strong opposition to appointment of its chosen persons as VCs and registrars. 

He stated that the committee was opposing the government’s ‘unilateral’ move and that even PM Narendra Modi had no power to establish a university if he wanted. ‘A university can be set up only after Parliament passes the bill. Universities have to be accountable to people, the academic pointed out. Prof Haragopal warned of a people’s agitation at the national level and in the State by the All-India Education Rights Forum and the Save Education Committee opposing the Centre’s proposal. Among the participants in the conference were Prof K Lakshmi Narayana, Prof Chakradhar Rao, PDSU leader Venkteswara Rao, Ravinder, Parasuram, Ramu and Pradeep were present.