Protesters demand withdrawal of TN Private Universities Amendment Bill

COIMBATORE: Members of the Marumalarchi Makkal Iyakkam (MMI) and the Association of University Teachers (AUT) held a protest in Coimbatore on Wednesday demanding withdrawal of the Tamil Nadu Private Universities (Amendment) Bill passed by the assembly last week. The Bill allows conversion of the govt-aided colleges into private universities.

More than 50 people participated in the protest before the Race Course police station. While addressing the protesters and the media, MMI president V Eswaran said, "Chief minister M K Stalin, who speaks of social justice, has completely shunned it by passing this bill. When converted, the fee structure of aided colleges would increase. Those paying Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per annum would be forced to pay at least Rs 50,000. The admission for poor students in renowned colleges will become impossible because they will ultimately stop the counselling process for seats."

Criticising the state govt’s reply that this Bill would improve the standard of education, Eswaran added, "How many private institutions or universities have so far excelled in research sectors? The state govt is deceiving people with such replies."

C Pichandi, former general secretary of AUT, said more than four lakh students would be affected by this.