The Joint Action Forum, which has been spearheading opposition to the deemed university move in the islands, has alleged serious violations of University Grants Commission regulations in the declaration of the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Institute of Higher Learning as a Deemed-to-be University under the De-Novo category, and has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking immediate withdrawal of the notification.
In a detailed representation addressed to the Prime Minister and reviewed by The Wave Andaman, the Joint Action Forum has called for an independent inquiry, a pause on further subsuming of colleges under the institute and safeguards to ensure that students are not affected by what it describes as a fundamentally flawed process.
At the core of the dispute is a central question: Can a multi-disciplinary cluster of existing colleges be declared a De-Novo university, a category meant only for institutions devoted exclusively to unique and emerging areas of knowledge not commonly offered in the country?
Under the University Grants Commission Regulations, 2019, Clauses 2.07 and 2.08 specify that De-Novo status is reserved for institutions focused on niche and innovative domains. Clause 6.04.1 further restricts eligibility to sponsoring bodies with a proven academic track record.
The Joint Action Forum argues that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands already have seven government colleges offering conventional disciplines widely available across India. Converting these into a single deemed university under the De-Novo category, it says, defeats the very purpose of that classification, which is intended for specialised institutions, not full-fledged universities covering medicine, engineering, law and the arts.
The representation further points out that professional institutions such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences operate under uniform standards set by the National Medical Commission and cannot independently redesign their curriculum to fit De-Novo criteria. Similarly, Dr B R Ambedkar Institute of Technology functions under established technical education norms. On this basis, the forum contends that the proposal to subsume such institutions under a De-Novo framework was ineligible from the beginning.
The Ministry of Education issued a Letter of Intent on March 21, 2023 following recommendations of the University Grants Commission, laying down ten conditions before operationalisation. These included creating an independent not-for-profit sponsoring body, legally vesting assets, ensuring sustained financial backing, developing new syllabi aligned with the National Credit Framework, securing statutory approvals from professional regulators, appointing qualified faculty and establishing adequate infrastructure.
The Joint Action Forum has questioned how these conditions were reportedly fulfilled within roughly two months, despite a compliance window of up to three years. According to the representation reviewed by The Wave Andaman, a compliance report was submitted on May 22, 2023, examined by an expert committee of the University Grants Commission and approved at its 577th meeting in February 2024. A Gazette notification dated March 8, 2024 declared the institute operational as a deemed university, with Dr B R Ambedkar Institute of Technology as its sole constituent college.
However, the forum claims that ground realities raise serious concerns about readiness and compliance.
It alleges that semester-wise mark statements for some Bachelor of Technology students have not been properly issued, creating confusion about academic records. Faculty shortages continue across colleges, with several institutions run by in-charge principals and key academic and administrative posts vacant.
Infrastructure gaps have also been flagged. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences and G B Pant Hospital reportedly face shortages of specialist doctors. The Andaman Law College is said to be functioning from a Transport Department building, while medical administrative offices remain housed in Ayush Bhawan. The location and operational status of the institute’s main campus remain unclear, according to the representation.
The Joint Action Forum has also raised questions about No Objection Certificates from affiliating universities, noting that Pondicherry University had earlier de-affiliated Dr B R Ambedkar Institute of Technology for non-compliance, and has sought clarity on the sequence and validity of subsequent approvals.
For students and parents, the immediate concern is clarity. If the legal foundation of the De-Novo status is under question, they want assurance that degrees, examinations and academic records will not be jeopardised.
Calling the sequence of approvals “fraught with illegalities,” the Joint Action Forum has urged the Prime Minister to withdraw the deemed university notification, order an inquiry into alleged false affidavits in the compliance report and halt any move to subsume additional colleges, including the medical college, under the institute. It has reiterated its demand for the establishment of a Central University in the islands as a more stable and transparent alternative.
Several key documents, including the full expert committee assessment, are not in the public domain. There has been no detailed official clarification explaining how the institute satisfies De-Novo criteria in a multi-disciplinary format, nor clarity on whether independent verification of infrastructure, faculty strength and statutory approvals preceded the Gazette notification.
As of publication, there has been no official response from the University Grants Commission, the Ministry of Education or the Andaman and Nicobar Administration to the allegations raised in the letter to the Prime Minister.
With higher education reforms in the islands now under sharp scrutiny, the controversy is likely to intensify debate over regulatory oversight, transparency and the long-term direction of tertiary education in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
