BJP asks LG Najeeb Jung not to give assent to AAP government's varsity bill

NEW DELHI: Alleging that the Delhi Netaji Subhas University of Technology Bill aims at making the appointment of Vice-Chancellor a "political exercise", BJP leader Vijender Gupta today wrote to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung requesting him to return it to the legislature.

The Delhi Netaji Subhas University of Technology Bill was passed by the Delhi Assembly last month, awarding the status of a university to Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology.

According to the Bill, "The Vice Chancellor shall be appointed by the Government from amongst the names to be recommended by a Select Committee constituted by the Government, in such manner, for such terms and on such emoluments and other conditions of services as may be prescribed."

"The controversial Bill was passed in the state legislature without any discussion... It aims to make the post of the Vice Chancellor of the University a political appointment... The universities are autonomous institutions of higher learning that must be kept away from political interference," Gupta said in a letter to Jung.

"The process of appointment of the VC is integral to the establishment of an autonomous and transparent system in the university," he added.

Criticising the AAP government for working in a "despotic manner and disregarding the democratic norms and set-up", the BJP leader urged the LG to return the Bill, on the grounds, that it diminishes the autonomy of an academic institution by making the selection of the VC a "political appointment" and snatches away the powers of the Chancellor, in this case the LG himself, in the appointment to the post.

Gupta said with the passing of the bill, the Chancellor has been made a mere "figurehead", without a say in the appointment of the varsity's VC.

He also alleged that by enacting such a law, the Delhi government has attempted to infringe upon the sovereignty of the institution that would have direct bearing on the future of lakhs of students associated with it.