Bhubaneswar, Aug 13: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to address the discrepancies in the Odisha University (Amendment) Act 2020 in alignment with the legal and regulatory framework.
In a letter to Majhi, Pradhan emphasized the need for amendments to restore confidence among educators, protect the autonomy of educational institutions, and ensure the state upholds the highest standards of education.
Pradhan pointed out that the previous BJD government had made significant changes to the original University of Odisha (Amendment) Act, 1989, for political reasons. These amendments, according to Pradhan, conflicted with the provisions of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act and the rules set by the Commission, thereby compromising the autonomy and interests of educational institutions.
He specifically highlighted that the provisions regarding the appointment of Vice Chancellors and the recruitment of educators in universities were inconsistent with UGC regulations and ignored the judicial directives from the Supreme Court.
Pradhan called on the Chief Minister to intervene, warning that the amendment's excessive government control over educational institutions could undermine the freedom of teachers.
