No deemed univ student will suffer: Sibal

NEW DELHI: Amid reports of violent protests in some places and widespread anxiety over the government’s move to derecognize 44 deemed universities , HRD minister Kapil Sibal on Tuesday sought to allay fears by promising no student would be left in the lurch.

The ministry’s task force has clearly delineated the roadmap for students in these institutions, ensuring that no one suffers, he said.

Meanwhile, students broke window panes, ransacked laboratories and burned furniture in a couple of blacklisted universities in Tamil Nadu, where a majority of the derecognized universities are situated.

Sibal’s assurance notwithstanding , many questions linger. For instance, the HRD ministry’s affidavit in the Supreme Court clearly states that even if the institutions concerned lose deemed university status, they remain colleges and will be affiliated to state universities . In case of medical /dental colleges , they will seek affiliation from state medical universities.

Asked what if state governments refused to give affiliation , sources said the ministry would seek a relevant directive from the Supreme Court. ‘‘ There are other methods also,’’ a source said.

Another question is what will happen to institutions that got deemed status by virtue of starting courses in new fields like nanotech. It seems students who enrolled for these niche disciplines can at best hope to pass out as regular graduates.