‘Shall not convert…’: After Meghalaya university row, Assam introduces amendment to make law stricter

The amendment in the private university Bill proposes to make a ‘security clearance report’ from the Assam government’s Home and Political Department on the ‘antecedents’ and ‘precedents’ of the university’s sponsoring body an essential prerequisite for establishing a university.

While announcing a cabinet decision to introduce this amendment earlier this month, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had claimed that this was prompted by the controversy surrounding the University of Science & Technology Meghalaya and its chancellor Mahbubul Hoque, who had been arrested by Assam Police last month in connection with alleged malpractices during the Class 12 CBSE examinations in a school run by his trust in Assam.

The arrest came after months of the university being targeted by Sarma with varied allegations including “flood jihad.”

The proposed amendment also introduces a restriction stating a university “shall not involve in any activity relating to conversion of any of students, faculties and other staff. The University shall maintain a secular character.”

A similar clause against “religious conversation” and a requirement for “prior security clearance” on “national security concerns” is part of the newly introduced legislation on private coaching centres as well. The proposed coaching centre bills require all such institutions to be registered with the District Commissioner concerned, and provide information on curriculum, details of classes, fees, infrastructure and qualification of teachers at the time of registration.

It proposes to prohibit the engagement of teachers who do not have a graduation level qualification and who have been convicted “for any offence involving moral turpitude.” It also proposed to prohibit “misleading promises or guarantee of rank or good marks” and “misleading advertisement”. The proposed legislation also requires coaching classes for students studying in institutions and schools not be conducted during their school hours.

The Bill proposes a penalty of Rs 1 lakh for a first-time offence of violation of the provisions of the Act, with a second time offence inviting cancellation of the registration.

The legislation also includes clauses such as requiring the coaching centres to “apprise students about the difficulty of exam, syllabus, level of intensity of preparation and efforts required” before enrolling them and to provide them with information about other career options “so that they do not get stressed about their future and can choose a new option of alternative careers.”  There are also clauses requiring them to engage counsellors and “experienced psychologists” and to “take steps for mental well-being of the students and conduct classes without putting undue pressure on its students.”