The protest by the students and staff of the Hassan University over closure of the varsity has entered the third day on Tuesday, February 18. Recently, the state government announced closure of nine universities in the state including Hassan University.
Expressing anger over the decision of the government, people from different sections of the society suspected political vendetta behind the plan to shut the universities, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
The then BJP government had set up seven universities including Hassan University in the interest of the rural students following the recommendation by the four-member committee headed by Prof G Hemanth Kumar in 2023. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government had taken the decision as per the National Knowledge Commission and the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
However, the cabinet sub-committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar recently took a decision to shut Hassan, Chamarajanagar, Bidar, Koppa, Madikeri, Bagalkot and Haveri universities sanctioned by the previous BJP government, citing a lack of resources to manage them.
A source said over 20,000 students from 53 degree colleges and 16 post-graduation colleges study at the Hassan University.
Strongly opposing the decision of the state government, former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Preetam J Gowda said the state government should reconsider its decision in the interest of the rural students.
The university must be continued by taking advantage of corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds, he added.
According to Hassan University Registrar BA Jagadish, the university has not received any direction from the government so far. However, students said the state government has violated the rules by shutting of university with in five years despite enough students and infrastructure, according to the report by The New Indian Express.
The students, along with the members of different organisations, would intensify the agitation until the government reconsiders its decision, they added. Interestingly, all 250 sanctioned posts are vacant since the beginning.
