Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 8: The National Secular Forum (NSF) has strongly condemned State Government for misusing its power and usurping the University College of Engineering and Technology (UIET), established by the University of Jammu (JU) a year ago.
Addressing a press conference here today, NSF State president, Dr Vikas Sharma expressed surprise that State Government while misusing its authority took over the assets created by JU and astonishingly, instead of the resisting Government move, some of the officers of University facilitated the dilution of varsity’s autonomy.
UIET was established by JU last year and started courses in the block opposite Directorate of Distance Education. The institute was one among two Government Colleges of Engineering and Technology under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) one each at Safapora in Ganderbal district and Janglot in Kathua district.
“Govt owned the college, when it received Rs 26 crore as funds for Janglot College, but latter disowned it and asked JU administration to run it on its own”, Vikas said and added that JU made it functional and presently 65 students are enrolled in three courses being offered by UIET. Students even have completed their first semester and University engaged six teachers on contract basis for UIET, he further said.
He said at the time of its inception, the State Government had asked JU to start the courses on self supporting basis but after a Cabinet meeting where 68 positions for the college were sanctioned, the Government snatched the institute in a sheer misuse of its authority.
The NSF leader expressed strong resentment over Government move and called it an attempt to encroach upon University’s autonomy. He said certain quarters within the University administration for their personal gain facilitated this ‘dacoity’. The University was already in process to establish an Engineering College, and the matter was taken up with RUSA, but the Government played a trick with us, he added.
He demanded from the Government to hand over the UIET back to Jammu University and explain to the people of Jammu as to why it encroached upon the autonomy of the varsity, which the Jammuites got after a long struggle.
Among those who were present in the press-conference, included, Dr Sukhdev Singh, Papinder Singh, Rishikesh Rana, Manmohan Singh and Istaq Naik.
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