New Delhi: Bishnu Pada Ray, Member of Parliament from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, on Friday met Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education, to discuss the ongoing student agitation over the proposed transition from Pondicherry University affiliation to a deemed university structure for higher education institutions in the islands.
According to sources familiar with the development, Ray called on the minister in New Delhi on Friday morning and emphasised the need for proper and transparent dissemination of information to address apprehensions among students.
The meeting comes amid protests by students across several colleges in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where sections of the student community have voiced concerns over the proposed shift. Protestors have alleged that the transition could lead to issues relating to degree recognition, academic continuity, and uncertainty during the initial years of implementation.
Sources indicated that Ray conveyed to the minister the intensity of student sentiment and underlined the importance of reassuring the academic community at the earliest.
Pradhan, according to those present, assured the MP that the Union government is fully cognizant of and sympathetic to the concerns raised by students. He is learnt to have said that all grievances have been noted and that the government will take necessary steps to allay any fear or misgivings surrounding the proposal.
The minister further explained that the deemed university proposal forms part of a broader reform initiative under the leadership of Narendra Modi, aimed at granting greater academic and administrative autonomy to institutions, particularly in remote and strategically important regions. The intent, he reportedly said, is to enable institutions to design locally relevant curricula, tailor-made courses, and skill-based programmes that improve employability and foster job creation.
Officials indicated that clearer directives and formal communication are expected from the Ministry of Education to address the specific concerns being raised by students.
Meanwhile, sources also indicated that the MP is likely to meet the Union Home Minister later today to discuss the same issue and apprise him of the concerns emerging from the islands.
For now, the agitation continues across campuses in the islands, with student bodies demanding clarity and written assurances regarding recognition, transition mechanisms, and safeguards for currently enrolled batches.
