Amidst a walk out and protest by Congress and BJP members, the Odisha Assembly today passed the Birla Global University, Odisha, Bill - 2015.
The Bill, which was introduced by state Higher Education Minister Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi, was passed in absence of opposition Congress members who protested rejection of some of their amendments.
"The objective of the bill is to impart quality education in the state through the Kolkata-based Birla Academy of Art and Culture, a non-profit making trust registered under the Indian Trust Act, 1982," Panigrahi said.
Stating that academic activities in the proposed university would start in two years, the Minister said the institute would become a private self-financed unitary university in the state.
There would be seven schools like management, architecture and planning, social science and humanities, law, natural science, marine science, and communication to function under the Birla Global University, Panigrahi said.
The state government has already provided 29.4 acres to Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH) at Gothapatna, Bhubaneswar and the promoters have created physical infrastructure to set up the institute, Panigrahi said, adding the proposed university would be run by a board of governors, board of management, academic council and finance committee.
Taking part in the discussion on the bill, education
parliamentary secretary Pani Taram said the bill was aimed at monitoring all private educational institutions offering higher secondary and above courses and whether they were following the state and central guidelines.
"There should be no political interference in the education sector and violation of the guidelines for the first time will invite a penalty to the tune of Rs one crore and for subsequent violations the penalty will rise to Rs five crore," Taram said.
The state has total of ten universities including eight private, 22 degree colleges (seven private), three private professional colleges, eight private B.Ed collages and seven polytechnic institutions including one private.
While BJP member Kento Rina supported the Bill, Independent MLA Paknga Bage said private educational institutions were mostly commercial and advocated for grading of educational institutions based on availability of teachers and facilities.
State Agriculture minister Wangki Lowang suggested the government should check whether private universities were recognised by the UGC.
Former education minister Tapang Taloh said most of the private universities in the state were running from rented premises and alleged their basic aim was to sell certificates.
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary minister Dr Mohesh Chai alleged that the private varsities in the state were imparting quantitative education instead of quality.
Senior BJP MLA Wangling Lowangdong called for regulating educational institutions with zero tolerance.
The House also passed the Arunachal Pradesh Anatomy Bill.
The bill would provide for supply of unclaimed bodies or donate bodies or parts of deceased persons to hospitals and medical institutions for the purpose of anatomical examination and dissection and other similar purposes.
Both bills were passed in the Assembly by voice vote.
