Karnataka legislators differ over Premji varsity bill

BANGALORE - Law makers in Karnataka Friday fought in the state assembly over the passage of the Azim Premji University Bill, as the opposition parties wanted a joint house panel to study some of its provisions.

The bill was, however, passed by a voice vote amid vociferous protests from opposition members. It paved the way for Indian IT icon and global software major Wipro czar Azim Premji to set up the first private varsity in the state later this year.

Noting that the bill was not within the framework of the University Grants Commission (UGC), the main opposition Congress sought a joint house committee to study some of its provisions and favoured changes before the bill was made law.

Participating in the three-hour long debate on the bill, opposition leader Siddaramaiah said the proposed university would not be of any help to commoners and would only serve the wealthy.

“Everybody should get quality education. This university is only for a few who are rich and not for all. Why should we allow such a private university?” Siddaramaiah, who is leader of the Congress legislative party, asked in the lower house.

The Azim Premji Foundation, the not-for-profit organisation managed by Premji, approached the state government to set up the university for providing instruction, teaching, training, research and development in various disciplines, including elementary education, secondary education, education management, policy, education in finance, technology in education in subjects such as sciences, social sciences, humanities and management.

“Through this university, the Premji Foundation plans to develop resource centres in various states across the country and overseas to contribute to quality education. It also plans to start campuses and study centres at various locations in India and abroad,” state Higher Education Minister Aravind Limbavali said while tabling the bill.

Former higher education minister and Congress leader G. Parameshwar said the government should have thought of bringing out a Private Universities Bill instead of bringing the Azim Premji University Bill.

“When there are so many posts of teachers lying vacant in many aided colleges and universities in the state, why is the government giving permission to a private university? This will take away the remaining good teachers from the existing universities,” Parmeshwar pointed out.

Reminding the house that states like Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh failed to administer private universities, Parameshwar asked why the state government was so keen on allowing a private university?

Members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, defended the bill and supported its passage in the budget session itself.

Intervening in the debate, state Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said stalling the bill at this juncture would send wrong signals to private investors in the state, especially to Premji who came forward to set up the university.

“Premji’s vision for the education sector is amazing. He wants to do something good to our education sector. It’s our duty to strengthen his hands and not stall the development,” Yeddyurappa asserted.

When assembly Speaker K.G. Bopaiah put the bill to vote, opposition members, led by Siddaramaiah, rushed towards the speaker and staged a protest in the well of the house.