Dharmendra Pradhan Writes To Union Education Minister To Repeal Odisha University Amendment Bill

Bhubaneswar: Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has sought the intervention of Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to repeal the the Odisha University Amendment Bill, 2020.

In a letter to Nishank, Pradhan said, “Keeping in mind the welfare of students, scholars, faculty and staff, autonomy of higher educational institutions and the overall well being of the entire higher education ecosystem in Odisha and factoring in the blatant inconsistencies of the Odisha University Amendment Bill, 2020 with the Constitution of India, I seek your urgent personal intervention in taking necessary action to repeal the Odisha University Amendment Bill, 2020.”

Pradhan further stated that the Bill seeks to deprive the higher educational institutions of autonomy by bureaucratising critical aspects of functioning of universities with the intent of exercising State government’s complete dominance.

He mentioned that a strong and unanimous view has emerged that the Bill should not have been promulgated without prior instructions of President of India as per Article 213 of the Constitution.

Though the Bill has been passed by the state Assembly, it has to be reserved for consideration and assent of the President under Article 254(2), he added.

Earlier, Pradhan had written to Nishank opposing the Bill which was approved by the Assembly on October 6.