NELLORE, July 27, 2010: With the government issuing frequent orders on changing affiliating powers of the old and new universities in the State; officials, college managements and students are in confusion about the university under which the new admissions are being made.
To promote higher education in rural areas at district-level, former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajashekara Reddy had sanctioned ten new universities in the Sate. In April this year, government issued an order giving affiliating powers to new universities in their respective districts as per A.P. University Act, 1991.
The university officials inspected the degree and PG colleges, collected affiliation fees, allotted new courses, finalised the curriculum and gave approval for new admissions under their jurisdiction. Many colleges paid affiliation fees to the new universities for the academic year 2010-11.
Recently, the Higher Education Department issued orders to all the new universities asking them to satisfy the norms to exercise the affiliation powers and set up an academic cell, examination branch and to appoint Deans. The government also issued another letter attaching copies to the MBA and MCA colleges located in Nellore, Chittoor, Kadapa and Anantapur districts to JNTU, Anantapur.
The students, who are attending the ongoing PG admissions counselling at Sri Venkateswara University (SVU), Tirupati, are in dilemma about the university their colleges would be affiliated to. Some students and their parents are questioning college managements over the jurisdiction of the university.
Student union leaders said that the recent developments of cancelling the GOs and reverting affiliation powers to the old universities unearthed the irregularities in the Education Department and reflected the influence of some corporate and private colleges.
“The officials busted the paper leakage incidents and mass copying in the degree and PG colleges and the involvement of some staff in the irregularities under SVU limits this year. Though the Higher Power Committee (appointed by SVU) recommended the university management to take action against the erring staff, no action has been initiated so far,'' said SFI Nellore district secretary Ch. Narayana Swamy.
Chaos in Colleges
The government was bowing to the pressures of some college managements with vested interests. The fresh orders are contrary to the University Act and the GOs are damaging the autonomy of the new universities, he said.
“We are in confusion with the frequent GOs. We admitted students stating that they will get certificates of Vikrama Simhapuri University (VSU) in Nellore district. But, the government issued two letters over the changing of affiliation status which is creating confusion among the students and institution managements,'' said the Nellore District Private Unaided Degree and PG Colleges Association president C. Raj Kumar Chowdary.
The association faxed letters to the Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department, AP State Council of Higher Education and the Higher Education Minister D. Sridhar Babu urging to continue under VSU.
The college managements held at meeting at Nellore on Monday to discuss the future course of action, said Mr.Chowdary.
