Sri Vijaya Puram, Feb 15 — The Andaman and Nicobar administration has not received any formal representation from agitating students regarding concerns over the proposed transition of higher educational institutions from affiliation to Pondicherry University to a deemed-to-be university framework, Chief Secretary Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar said during a late-evening meeting on Saturday.
The meeting, attended by student representatives and Bishnu Pada Ray (MP, Lok Sabha, Andaman and Nicobar Islands), focused on the ongoing protests and the issues being raised by students.
According to persons present, the Chief Secretary said the administration has respected the students’ right to peaceful protest and has therefore not taken any coercive steps so far. However, he noted that despite videos, statements and demands circulating widely on social media, no formal memorandum has yet been submitted through the prescribed institutional process.
He pointed out that the Member of Parliament has already made a written representation to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on the matter and that the Minister has assured the issue would be examined at the highest level.
Dr. Kumar said the administration is bound to implement directions issued by the Government of India and is not in a position to alter the policy framework on its own. Any request for reconsideration, he added, must be formally addressed to the concerned Union Ministry, with the administration facilitating the process once proper representation is received.
The Chief Secretary also cautioned against the spread of misleading information and warned that the administration would act if protests are used to create a law-and-order situation. He said legal provisions, including those under the Public Safety Act, could be invoked if demonstrations turn disruptive or unlawful. At the same time, he underlined that no force has been used so far and that protests have been allowed to continue as long as they remain peaceful and within the bounds of law.
More than 5,000 students are enrolled across higher educational institutions in the islands, and only a small section has participated in the agitation so far. Students involved in the protests have raised concerns over degree recognition, academic continuity and employment prospects if institutions move away from the Pondicherry University system. They have also sought clarity on the academic structure and regulatory oversight of the proposed framework.
Political Presence Noticed
The agitation has also drawn political attention in recent days, with several local-level political figures seen at protest venues. It was not immediately clear what transpired in their interactions with students, though a section of the student body has appealed to political parties not to use the issue as a platform for propaganda.
Ankit Mridha , a former student of Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya and associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad ( ABVP), the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been present during the protests. Some students have questioned this in light of the Union government’s policy direction on the deemed university proposal. When contacted, Mridha said he was attending in his individual capacity and not as a representative of the organisation.
Officials have reiterated that the proposal stems from a Union government policy framework and that the role of the local administration is limited to implementation. They have urged students to submit their concerns formally so that these can be placed before the Ministry through proper channels.
The administration has said it remains committed to maintaining peace, normal academic functioning and institutional continuity across the islands.
