Govs family among politicians behind blacklisted universities

THE 44 deemed-to-be universities across the country blacklisted by the HRD Ministry for de-recognition include several institutes which are controlled directly or indirectly by politicians....

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THE 44 deemed-to-be universities across the country blacklisted by the HRD Ministry for de-recognition include several institutes which are controlled directly or indirectly by politicians,exposing an association that many activists say is unhealthy for higher education.

The three blacklisted institutions in Maharashtra are all associated with leaders of the ruling Congress or NCP. One of them,a medical college in Kolhapur,is controlled by the family of Tripura Governor D Y Patil. In Tamil Nadu,many of the 16 blacklisted institutions are controlled by politicians of both the ruling DMK and rival AIADMK. A look at such blacklisted institutions and how they are associated with politicians:

Dr DY Patil Medical College,Kolhapur: Dr D Y Patil,a staunch Congress supporter and currently the Governor of Tripura,is the founder president of the institute. His son Sanjay D Patil is the present president and chancellor of the university. His younger brother Satej Patil is the sitting Congress MLA from Kolhapur south. After almost 20 years as an affiliated medical college of Shivaji University,Kolhapur and later Maharashtra University of Health Sciences,Nashik,the Dr DY Patil Medical College got the deemed-to-be university status in 2005. The college is spread over 25 acre and the building cost is put at around Rs 15 crore.

Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences,Karad: Got deemed-to-be university status in 2005. Founder president is Jaywantrao Bhosale,a sugar baron,who,too is a staunch Congress loyalist who was elected the chairman of one of the first co-operative sugar factories in the country in 1959. In 1984,Bhosale was among those who succeeded in persuading the then CM Vasantrao Dada Patil to allow private participation in medical schools and engineering colleges. His son Dr Suresh Bhosale is the chancellor of the institute; he had contested the Assembly elections on an NCP ticket but lost to Congress rebel candidate Balasaheb Patil.

Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth,Pune: Established in1921,it was awarded the deemed university status in 1987. Its vice-chancellor is Deepak Tilak. His son Rohit Tilak had contested the recent Assembly elections from Kasba on a Congress ticket and had even got Rahul Gandhi to campaign for him. He lost.

Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science and Technology,Thanjavur: It functions under the aegis of a trust managed by K Veeramani,leader of DMKs parent organisation,Dravidar Kazhagam. Veeramani is close to DMK president and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi,and the university has established the Dr Kalaignar M Karunanidhi Centre for Political Science. Now rechristened the Periyar Maniammai University after attaining the deemed university status,it has opened campus in Delhi as well,though the UGC bars deemed universities from starting such centres.

Bharath University,Chennai: Union Minister for State S Jagathrakshakan was the chancellor of the institution,formerly Bharath Institute of Higher Education & Research,Chennai,before becoming the minister.

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Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute,Chennai: It is yet another deemed-to-be-university operated by a politician,former AIADMK second rung leader AC Shanmugham. During the fag end of last AIADMK regime,the institution had faced the ire of then CM J Jayalalithaa who ordered the demolition of several buildings on its campus in 2005 on charges of illegal construction.

St Peters Institute of Higher Education and Research,Chennai: It is owned and operated by those close to AIADMK leader and former minister Thambidurai,though he has denied having any association with it.

Vels University: Established by Ishari K Ganesh,son of Isari Velan,a minister in the state government headed by AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran.