HARIDWAR: Majority of the 10 colleges disaffiliated from HNBG Central University,
Srinagar are contemplating moving the high court against the university order based on its executive committee resolution of May 30.
The union ministry of education has been informed of the university's decision and a process of disaffiliation has already been initiated. Reacting to the university's decision, Ashok Shastri, secretary of MV Degree College, Haridwar's parent body, told TOI that "The colleges were affiliated to the central university under section 4(f) of the Central Universities Act, 2009.
As such, they cannot be disaffiliated at will by the university. The university acted unilaterally in the matter and did not care to give any notice to the colleges."
He added, "The university will meet the same fate as it did in 2018 when it withdrew affiliation given to evening classes in some of these government-aided private colleges. The order had to be withdrawn when contempt of court proceedings against the university were initiated by the high court." BSM College, Roorkee secretary Rajneesh Sharma expressed a similar opinion.
According to sources, affected colleges were advised to get affiliated with Sridev Suman University, Badshahi Thaul, New Tehri. However, they chose to continue their affiliation with the central university. The university, through its letter dated July 24, 2020, "directed the colleges to de-affiliate themselves from the central university." As this led to a dispute, four of the affected colleges filed separate PILs in the high court. In a common verdict in the PILs, the court on November 16, 2021, stated, "The state government is directed to maintain the colleges, including to pay salaries of employees till the issue is thrashed out between it and the central government." It also directed to "settle the dispute with regard to maintenance of the colleges in a period of two months."