VTU Bill on autonomous status passed amidst Oppn walkout

Bangalore, Apr 4 (UNI) The Karnataka Assembly today passed an amendment Bill to empower Visveswaraiah Technological University (VTU) to provide autonomous status to engineering colleges in the State, amidst walkout by the Congress-led Opposition parties.

The Bill, piloted by Higher Education Minister D H Shankaramurthy, was an amendment to the VTU Act, 1994.

Mr Shankaramurthy said the Bill had been drafted by the previous Congress-led coalition Government, but could not be adopted by the House. The amendment was only being extended to VTU as similar provisions had been incorporated in the Karnataka State University Act, 2000, which enabled the varsities to provide autonomous status to an affiliated college with prior concurrence from the State Government.

He said good institutions might be extended the status to frame their own courses and curriculum and improve the academic standards.

The World Bank also insisted that educational institutions selected for its projects should be given autonomy.

Opposition members, led by Leader of the Opposition N Dharam Singh, opposed the amendment, stating that it would only benefit the rich and not students from poor communities.

When Mr Shankaramurthy moved the Bill for consideration, the Opposition members staged a walkout.

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