Deshpande to meet Guv on Premji varsity

Minister for Higher Education, R V Deshpande, said on Monday that he would meet Governor H R Bhardwaj over the issue of Azim Premji university to ascertain the facts.

Replying to questions by reporters on whether he would take cognisance of the comments by Bhardwaj, the minister said he would ascertain the facts and then take appropriate action against the university.

Bhardwaj had said on Sunday that Azim Premji university had not shown any commitment towards providing quality education to the poor. He had said that, four years ago, when his permission was sought for approving the setting up of the university, he had signed it in under two hours.

“Back then, it had promised that it will provide quality education to the poor. It has been four years since that promise was made, but the university has not adhered to its word,” the Governor had said.

Deshpande said that, in total, the previous BJP government had given permission to 22 private universities.

“Of these, only Azim Premji and Alliance Universities have begun functioning. The government had put certain conditions to be fulfilled by the private universities to start functioning. There is a provision to set up a three-member committee to monitor the functioning of these universities. The government will soon set up the committee and obtain a report.”

The minister said he had urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not to impose economy orders of the government on the Higher Education department.

“Already, there are a large number of vacant posts of teaching staff. Teaching quality will be affected if they are not filled, he said.

Altogether, 3,159 sanctioned posts of degree college lecturers need to be filled. Recently, the government gave approval to recruit 431 lecturers, he said.