Tension gripped Andaman Law College on Tuesday as students launched a strike over a sudden change in the institution’s university affiliation, a move they say has altered their degree structure mid-course and left them uncertain about the credibility of their qualification.
M. Vignesh, a third-year B.A. LL.B student, said the protest began after first-year students were informed that the college is no longer affiliated with Pondicherry University but with a newly established Deemed University in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. According to him, the first-year batch had taken admission under Pondicherry University affiliation and had already completed their first-semester examinations under that university before the shift was communicated.
Following the exams, the Principal informed students that the college now falls under the deemed university system, and the course structure has been modified from B.A. LL.B to B.A. LL.B (Hons), with the addition of a new subject in the curriculum. Students argue that this academic and administrative transition has been imposed after admission and after part of the course had already been completed under a different university framework.
Vignesh expressed serious concerns about what he described as the limited infrastructure and academic base of the new deemed university. He alleged that the university currently operates from just four rooms within JNRM College and has minimal staff. He further claimed that the syllabus has been prepared by four law faculty members rather than by a broader panel of established university professors, raising doubts among students about academic standards and recognition.
Many of the protesting students come from underprivileged backgrounds and say they chose the college believing they would receive a degree from Pondicherry University, a long-established central university. They now fear that a degree from a newly formed institution with limited facilities could affect their higher studies, competitive exam prospects, and employment opportunities. Their primary demand is that their degrees be issued by Pondicherry University as per what they describe as the original admission understanding.
In a meeting with the college leadership, a group of students presented their concerns, stating that they maintained respectful decorum throughout the interaction. They highlighted what they see as a gap between the assurances given at the time of enrollment and the present situation. Students said they had joined the college with the explicit understanding that they would graduate under Pondicherry University, but were informed only in their second semester, after completing the first, that they would now be under the deemed university system.
The students requested that the new system be implemented starting with future batches, while allowing the current batch to continue under the original affiliation. However, according to those present, the Principal clarified that the transition was a government mandate and not within the college administration’s control.
Questions were also raised about transparency. Students asked why they were not informed earlier, arguing that the administration likely had prior knowledge of the order. They said timely communication could have helped them make informed decisions about their academic future.
At the same time, students clarified that they are not opposed to the broader idea of establishing a deemed university in the islands. Some mentioned locations such as Munglutan and Guptapara as suitable areas for developing a full-fledged campus. Their objection, they said, is specifically to the redirection of current students in the middle of an ongoing course.
The meeting ended without a concrete resolution for the protesting students. Although they invited the Principal to address parents and peers waiting outside, the Principal reportedly had to leave for an emergency meeting with senior officials. As of now, uncertainty continues among the affected batch, with students insisting that their academic future should not be reshaped midway through their degree programme.
