Member of Parliament Bishnu Pada Ray, in an interview to The Wave Andaman, rejected criticism from rival political quarters, including senior Congress leaders, over the Deemed University issue, saying he has been consistently pursuing the matter through letters, college visits and parliamentary intervention.
The issue has emerged as a major political and academic flashpoint in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with rivals accusing Ray of not doing enough even as unease continues among students, parents and faculty members over the proposed shift from Pondicherry University affiliation to deemed-to-be university status. While the move is being presented as a structural reform intended to provide greater institutional autonomy, it has also triggered concerns over fee stability, degree value, faculty service conditions, and the larger future of higher education in the islands.
Ray said the criticism against him was misplaced and maintained that his engagement with the issue dates back to March 8, 2024, when, according to him, the matter was already under discussion with the then Congress Member of Parliament. He also questioned why those who were part of those earlier discussions had not raised objections at the time and were now attempting to portray him as inactive.
In the interview, Ray listed a series of steps he said he had taken to press the matter before the highest levels of government. According to him, he submitted representations to the Prime Minister on December 9, February 12 and February 16. He said these were followed by additional letters backed by signatures and supporting documents. He further said that between the 14th and 21st of a recent month, he submitted nine letters on the issue, besides seven more in Delhi.
Ray also said he visited several educational institutions in the islands, including Law College, Tagore College and Mayabunder College, along with other colleges, where he interacted directly with students and faculty members. According to him, one demand emerged clearly during these visits, the establishment of a Central University in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
That demand has gathered momentum as the debate over the proposed deemed university framework has widened. Under India’s higher education system, both Central Universities and deemed-to-be universities can award legally valid degrees under the University Grants Commission framework. However, the two differ significantly in how they are funded, governed and administered. Central universities are created through an Act of Parliament and function with stable public funding and statutory oversight. Deemed-to-be universities, by contrast, are granted recognition under Section 3 of the UGC Act and operate with greater academic and administrative autonomy, often relying more heavily on internal resources and performance-linked structures.
It is this structural difference, rather than degree validity alone, that has fuelled concern in the islands. Students and parents have voiced anxiety over whether the existing fee structure will remain protected and whether those who enrolled under Pondicherry University affiliation may face uncertainty over the institutional identity of their degrees. Faculty members, too, have been seeking clarity on service conditions, governance structures and the extent of academic independence under any new arrangement.
On the parliamentary front, Ray said he had earlier tried to raise the issue in Parliament, but disruptions prevented any discussion. He said he has now submitted a notice under Rule 377, bearing Diary No. 2788, which is expected to be taken up on the 23rd, subject to approval.
The MP also said he has written to both the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister, with his latest communication dated March 16 and supported by documents and photographs. He said his effort was aimed at ensuring that the concerns of students from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are not treated as a routine administrative matter, but addressed as a serious issue affecting the educational future of the territory.
Describing the matter as an ongoing effort, Ray said he would continue to pursue it in Parliament in the coming days. He said his objective was to ensure that the concerns of students, parents and teachers in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are formally raised and addressed at the national level.
