A delegation of the Joint Action Forum Against Deemed University has sought the intervention of the Union government over the proposed conversion of existing government colleges in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands into a deemed-to-be university, citing concerns over academic credibility, regulatory compliance and student welfare.
The delegation met Ramdas Bandu Athawale, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, and submitted a representation opposing the proposal to bring all seven government colleges in the islands under a new deemed university to be called the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Institute of Higher Learning.
During the interaction, the Forum placed before the Minister its concerns regarding the decision of the Government of India and the Union Territory administration to alter the existing academic structure. At present, the government colleges in the islands are affiliated to Pondicherry University, a Central University with NAAC A+ accreditation and established national standing.
According to the Forum, the proposed shift in affiliation has generated widespread uncertainty among students and parents, who fear that the transition to a newly constituted deemed university could adversely affect the academic recognition, credibility and long-term value of their degrees. The delegation stated that the merger of established colleges into a new institutional framework raises serious academic and operational concerns, including potential changes to curriculum structures, evaluation systems and fee regimes.
The representation highlighted that a significant proportion of students enrolled in government colleges across the islands come from economically weaker and marginalised backgrounds. Any escalation in fees or associated academic costs, the Forum argued, would place an additional financial burden on families that already face constraints due to the geographical isolation of the islands and limited income opportunities.
The Forum also referred to the ongoing student protests across various colleges, stating that students have been peacefully voicing their opposition for the past 12 days. The central demand, it said, is the continuation of the existing affiliation with Pondicherry University and the suspension of the deemed university proposal until wider consultations are held with students, parents and academic stakeholders.
Concerns were also raised over compliance with statutory norms prescribed by the University Grants Commission for establishing a deemed-to-be university. While it has reportedly been stated in an affidavit submitted before the High Court that all required norms have been fulfilled, the Forum pointed out that stakeholders continue to express doubts and have called for a transparent and independent review of the process.
The delegation maintained that there is no immediate academic necessity to alter the affiliation of the existing colleges. Instead, it suggested that if structural reform is required, the establishment of a full-fledged Central University in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands would be a more sustainable and forward-looking option, offering stronger academic foundations, national recognition and long-term institutional stability.
The Forum requested Athawale to take up the matter at the national level, including raising it in Parliament of India and with the Union Ministry of Education, so that the concerns of students from the islands are examined at the highest policy-making levels.
The issue continues to draw attention amid sustained student mobilisation, with the future of higher education governance in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands remaining a subject of active public debate.
