Allahabad varsity: Where Arjun agrees with Joshi

Now Arjun Singh’s bureaucrats have begun discussions with the parties involved including the university administration and colleges to ensure that the long-pending demands of the students and teachers of these 11 colleges within the city limits are met. Singh proposes to bring these colleges under the jurisdiction of the Central University. Accordingly, a Central Act may be drafted and ad hoc grants would be released

The UGC has been asked to study the necessary regulations to find out how the Central University can have a few affiliated colleges. Usually, Central Universities, with the exception of a few like the Delhi University, are single campus universities. First, it took Joshi more than five years to decide the university where he had been a teacher throughout his academic career would be given the Central status. Then when he reached Allahabad after taking the decision in November last year, he did receive bouquets from the happy non-teaching employees’ unions and a section of teachers but was also pelted brickbats by students of the affiliated colleges.

Joshi refused to cede ground in the face of demonstrations and said that he would not buckle under pressure. He said he would try to look into the demand of students of these local colleges for affiliation to a Central University but would rather these colleges came under the jurisdiction of the neighbouring Purvanchal University. This suggestion that these colleges would come under Purvanchal and not Allahabad University triggered more demonstrations last year.

Singh is turning out to be more amenable to the students’ cause. His bureaucrats have already had a discussion with college administrations. The principals have said that they were only too willing. Central University status means better flow of funds, more development activities. But in cash-strapped UP, Central status also means timely payment of wages of both teachers and non-teaching staff.

Allahabad University had Central status till a little over 30 years ago. It came under the UP government in 1973. Some sections of SP are opposed to the move of bringing it under Central control. They would want the government to retain the right to run the university while the Centre could pump in funds by declaring the university as an institute of national importance.