Bill for setting up private universities referred to committee

Shimla, Mar 31 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today agreed to refer the bill for setting up of private universities in the state to a select committee after former chief minister P K Dhumal called for a cautious approach on the issue.

Replying to a half-an-hour debate on the issue here, he said the tabling of the Bill in this session was to prevent introduction of separate legislation for every private university in the state.

Mr Singh said inadequacies witnessed after setting up of the JP University of Information and Technology at Waknaghat in Solan district had been ironed out in the Bill.

The government would not allow the setting up of another general university in the state but only a scientific or a specialised institution would be allowed here, he said.

Replying to the former chief minister's query on naming Governor V K Kokje the Chancellor of the private university, Mr Singh said the Governor had himself expressed his wish not to be named its Chancellor as he would only be a titular head of the institution.

The Governor was of the view that since he would in no way influence the functioning of the university, he should not be named the Chancellor, he said.

The Chief Minister said the government was also bringing an amendment to Section 42 of the Bill for preventing the dissolution of the university without the permission of the state government, besides providing reservation to students from Himachal Pradesh in various streams under Section 27 of the Bill.

The state government had also incorporated all provisions of the Central Bill, which was also before the Parliament for its approval, he said.

Earlier, initiating the debate on the issue, Mr Dhumal, welcoming the government's decision of introducing the Bill in the present session of the Assembly, said precautions were necessary.

He said the Bill should be referred to a select committee before taking a final decision on it.

The government had introduced a bill in the Assembly on March 29 to facilitate the setting up of private universities in the state.

UNI AS PS HS PC1840