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Chennai, Oct 18 (IANS) The Communist Party of India (CPI) has urged the Tamil Nadu government to withdraw the recently passed bill amending the Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act, 2019, warning that the proposed changes could subvert social justice and weaken state regulation in the higher education sector.
In a statement issued on Saturday, CPI State Secretary M. Veerapandian said the amendment – which removes the requirement for a private university to have a minimum of 100 acres of land – would open the door to uncontrolled expansion of private universities across the State.
He said the move would result in a situation where higher education institutions would operate without adequate infrastructure, transparency or accountability.
Veerapandian warned, “The amendment will increase the number of private universities like parasites, endangering the essence of public education.” He described the measure as a step backward for equal access to education.
He said removing key regulatory safeguards could allow corporate and commercial interests to dominate the education sector.
The CPI leader also criticized the provisions which, according to him, enable the government to step away from important oversight areas such as student admissions, fee regulation and the appointment of vice-chancellors and pro-chancellors.
He argued that restructuring of the governing councils would further reduce the influence of the state in maintaining academic integrity and ensuring representation for marginalized sections. Veerapandian said the bill undermines the Dravidian model of social justice, which has long guided Tamil Nadu’s education policy.
“By reducing the role and accountability of the government in higher education, this amendment undermines the framework of reservation and equality that has empowered thousands of first-generation learners,” he said.
He urged the state government to reconsider its stance and consult with academicians, senior academicians and student organizations before implementing any policy that would change the character of the state’s higher education system.
The statement concluded, “The government should immediately withdraw the Private Universities (Amendment) Bill to protect the values of inclusion, fairness and access that define Tamil Nadu’s education model.”
–IANS
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