Gujarat passes Bill to pave way for 11 new private universities

Education Minister Jitu Vaghani informed the House that out of a total 19 applications for new universities 11 have been approved.

The Bill was unanimously passed amid objections expressed by the opposition to increasing privatisation in the education sector without any government control over institutes in matters like fee and admissions.

While expressing their objections, Congress MLAs Virji Thummar and Kirit Patel suggested including MLAs in the committees of private universities to monitor their activities.

“Make an arrangement where two MLAs can be included in the committees of these private universities for monitoring and control. As these private universities charge exorbitant fee from students and many a times meritorious students are not able to get admission,” said Virji Thummar.

Adding to it, Kirit Patel said that with these eleven new private universities, probably Gujarat will become the state with highest number of private universities.

“We do not object in opening new private universities but there should be a control over these. These charge exorbitant fee from students but do not give full pay to their teaching faculty. So I request the Education Minister to take a not of this. There should be a fee regulations committee for private universities for non-technical courses too. Also, these universities get their accounts audited by private auditors which should be done by auditor general,” he added.

Objecting approving private universities to industries like Adani, Cong MLA C J Chavda said, “After almost all sectors now Adani is given a university too. Tomorrow Adani will decide the rules too. Let us also pass a resolution that underprivileged students who are not able to take higher education be adopted by these private universities by big industrialists like Adani University, Nirma University. Let 100-200 such students referred by either state government or local MLAs get admission in these.”

Chavda too suggested for a government representative in these private universities.

Further, Congress MLA Punjabhai Vansh questioned on the procedure of approving the applications of these eleven universities. “Who is benefitting from this privatisation of education? Privatisation is important but not at the place which the government is going with… There is no faculty in government universities. Does the government want to close down government universities and approve private ones. Provide infrastructure and resources lacking in government universities.”

This was echoed by Congress MLA from Jetpur Sukhram Rathva who stated that government colleges and Birsa Munda University lack infrastructure where the building of closed government secondary school is being used by government college in Kavat.

Replying to these objections and suggestions, Minister Vaghani stated that lokbhagidari (public participation) is demand of the time.

Assuring that with these private universities no harm on existing government universities will be done, Vaghani told the House, “Nothing of such loss will be borne to government universities. Strict action will be taken against violators of fee regulation committee. There has been a proper scrutiny by the scrutiny committee for these applications and as per rules these have to be established within five years of approval. If terms and conditions are not followed strict action will be taken.”

The Bill states, “The said proposals have been considered by the scrutiny committee appointed under section 8 of the said Act (Gujarat Private Universities Act 2009) and the committee has submitted its report to the state government and on basis of such report the state government.. issued the Letter of Intent…”