Andaman students protest deemed university plan, sound alarm over academic future

Several medical, law and engineering students of premier educational institutions in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have intensified their protest against the Centre’s proposal to convert their existing affiliation into a deemed-to-be university , citing concerns over academic continuity , degree recognition , examination schedules and possible financial implications.

At present, Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya, Andaman Law College, Andaman College, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr BR Ambedkar Institute of Technology, Tagore Government College of Education and Mahatma Gandhi Government College are affiliated to Pondicherry University . Under the proposed plan, these institutions would be brought under the newly envisaged Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Institute of Higher Learning , replacing the existing affiliation.

Students have been staging continuous demonstrations in Sri Vijaya Puram for several days, demanding that the administration withdraw the proposal and retain the present system. They fear that the transition could disrupt ongoing academic sessions, delay examinations, affect admissions for the coming academic year and create uncertainty over the national and international recognition of their degrees. Concerns have also been raised about a possible fee hike and changes to existing scholarship and stipend structures.

Student representatives said a memorandum has been submitted to the administration, seeking written assurances that academic continuity will be fully protected, degrees will retain their recognition, stipends will continue and no additional financial burden will be imposed. They stressed that any decision affecting thousands of students should involve transparent consultations with all stakeholders and warned that the agitation would be intensified if their concerns remain unaddressed.

The Andaman administration has sought to reassure students, stating that there will be no increase in fees and that efforts are underway to ensure a smooth academic transition. Director of Education Vikram Singh said fees would remain nominal to ensure accessibility and that all constituent colleges would continue functioning with their existing infrastructure, alongside further augmentation to improve the quality of education.