Port Blair, Sep 15: CPI(M) State Secretary, A&N Islands requested the Home Minister of India for the restoration of Affiliation of DBRAIT, Port Blair with Pondicherry University.
In a letter, Mr. D. Ayyappan, Secretary, CPI(M), A&N Islands mentioned that the standoff between the Andaman and Nicobar Administration and Pondicherry University over the restoration/renewal of affiliation of engineering courses at the DBRAIT, Port Blair and the on-going agitation by about 350 students of the Institute during the last one month. On the basis of a report submitted by an expert committee that visited the DBRAIT to inspect the infrastructure, availability of faculty, etc., the Pondicherry University had withdrawn/not extended the affiliation of the engineering courses run by the DBRAIT about 3 years back, requiring the A & N Administration to rectify the 17-point shortcomings noticed by the inspecting team.
He stated that instead of initiating discussion with the Pondicherry University (a central university under the Ministry of Education, Govt. of India), the A & N Administration approached the Hon’ble Calcutta High Court by filing a Write Petition against the Pondicherry University which is still pending. Even after the University refused to grant affiliation, the A & N Administration continued to admit students to the engineering courses for two years, presumably hiding the fact from the parents and students. These students were prevented from appearing in the examinations by the University and it was only after the intervention of the Hon’ble High Court that these students who were admitted violating the directions of the Pondicherry University were allowed to appear at the examinations on a conditional basis.
He mentioned that Pondicherry University had taken up the matter with the Govt. of India also, but the central government authorities and A & N Administration failed to resolve the above issues even after 3 years. The Govt. of India and the A & N Administration have messed up the whole issue, giving more importance to the vested interests who would have been at loss to discard their positions had the 17-points been implemented than protecting the rights and future of the students.
Therefore, CPI(M) Secretary requested the Home Minister of India to look into this issue and take an appropriate decision and also requested to take disciplinary action against all those concerned who have created the deadlock in the DBRAIT besides recovering the amount spent for Court cases filed against the Pondicherry University from the salary of those responsible for it