JOIN USHRD Minister Smriti Irani on Friday refused to instruct universities to waive punishments meted out to students, saying she does not want to open a “pandora’s box”.
Replying to a debate on the functioning of her ministry, Irani said, “This minister is a mere mortal who is tied to this very Parliament. This Parliament does not allow intervention in the administrative matter of any University. My request is only this. This is a Pandora’s box, I am sure you don’t want to open that. Let the University be autonomous enough.”
Her response came after Congress MP Ananda Bhaskar Rapolu said the students were looking at Irani’s “magnanimity” to waive punishments and rustication of students in various universities.
Rapolu’s query came against the backdrop of recent action by JNU authorities imposing fine on student leader Kanhaiya Kumar and rustication of some other students.
No change in curriculum
She also said there appeared to be “Sanskrit phobia” and that there was no change in curriculum. She said IITs were only asked to pick up parts of work in Sanskrit that contained scientific knowledge.
Responding to concerns over appointments, she said the government cannot intervene in appointments in central universities. “We can only facilitiate,” she said adding her ministry only functioned as the “secretariat” of the President by forwarding the names for appointment of vice-chancellors.
She said they cannot fill up the vacancies in Vishwabharti and Shantiniketan due to Model Code of Conduct imposed following elections in West Bengal.