Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary during the inauguration of a new Government Degree College in Bhagalpur. (ANI/File)A day after six NDA MLCs wrote to Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary to drop a proposed Bill seeking to delink undergraduate colleges from state universities, members of the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) and the Federation of Central Universities Teachers Associations (FEDCUTA) wrote to Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain, who is the chancellor of the state universities, requesting him to continue with the existing system.The Indian Express had previously reported that the proposed Bill, under which over 500 constituent colleges offering undergraduate degrees would come directly under the control of a newly created higher education department, is likely to be introduced in the monsoon session of the Assembly beginning Monday.In a joint letter addressed to the Bihar Governor, six DU teachers, who are serving or ex-functionaries of DUTA and FEDCUTA, wrote, “The proposal is still under consideration. Nevertheless, given its far-reaching implications for the future of higher education in Bihar, we consider it our responsibility as a teachers’ organisation to place before Your Excellency certain concerns arising from experiences across the country and from internationally accepted principles of university governance.”Read | Bihar government faces first pushback from within: BJP and JDU leaders say don’t change education structure“The universities are not merely administrative structures. They are autonomous academic institutions, where teaching, research, curriculum, examinations, recruitment and academic standards are integrated within a single institutional framework,” they wrote.The letter added that the proposed legislation could fundamentally alter the character of the affiliating university system.“Undergraduate education forms the foundation of the academic ecosystem. Universities develop curricula, conduct examinations, supervise academic standards, undertake faculty development and create pathways for students to pursue postgraduate education and research. Fragmenting this structure may weaken this interwoven structure and the continuity between undergraduate and postgraduate education. Secondly, the proposed arrangement would substantially reduce the academic authority of universities over their own constituent colleges,” read the letter.‘Needs careful examination’Rajesh K Jha, a DU professor and former member of the DU Executive Council, who is one of the signatories of the letter, told The Indian Express, “Experience from several states demonstrates that strong universities are built upon stable institutions rather than constantly shifting administrative arrangements. Our founding fathers were also opposed to converting the universities into government departments.”Story continues below this adHe said that good academics demand autonomy and robust funding for universities and colleges, and pointed out that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 “repeatedly emphasises greater academic and administrative autonomy for higher education institutions”. He said the NEP envisages universities becoming centres of innovation, multidisciplinary learning and research.“Any reform that has the effect of increasing direct bureaucratic control over routine academic administration requires careful examination to ensure that it remains consistent with this broader national vision and the intent and spirit of higher education as envisioned originally by our policy makers, as well as the purpose of ensuring greater practicable autonomy to universities and higher educational institutions,” Jha said.The letter also emphasised that the proposed restrictions on participation in teachers’ associations and public academic engagement “deserved wider consultation”.Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. Expertise He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. ... Read More Tags:BiharSamrat Choudhary