SALEM: The Association of University Teachers (AUT), Tamil Nadu, has raised concerns over the State government's move to consider requests from private colleges to relax land norms, warning that it could lead to the diversion of land meant for education to other uses.

The concern arose after a government letter dated March 10, which said that requests from self-financing arts and science colleges set up before 2014-15 to reduce their land requirements would be examined on a case-by-case basis. Private college managements have been seeking to apply the reduced land norms introduced in 2014 to older colleges as well, so they are treated on par with newer institutions.

Under the 2014 norms, the minimum land required to start college was reduced to 2 acres in metro areas, 3 acres in municipal areas and 5 acres in rural areas, compared to the earlier higher limits. If these norms are applied to older colleges, they could treat part of their existing land as 'surplus' or 'excess'.

AUT has cautioned that even such a case-by-case approach could open the door for misuse of land originally meant for education. It said there is no concept of 'extra land' in education, as institutions require space for future expansion, addition of new courses, increased student strength and infrastructure development.

The association also pointed out that many college lands were donated by philanthropists specifically for educational purposes, and allowing their diversion for commercial or other non-academic uses would defeat that purpose. It further stressed that educational institutions under the aided stream should not be equated with self-financing institutions when it comes to such decisions.

AUT has urged the government to take a careful and firm stand to ensure that the academic character of campuses is not diluted and that such lands continue to be used only for education.