COIMBATORE:The Education Protection Committee of Avinashilingam University for Women has petitioned Coimbatore Collector Archana Patnaik, seeking her intervention in reopening the institution, which has been closed indefinitely, following protest by teachers and students.
In their petition, the committee members, which included former Member of Parliament from Coimbatore PR Natarajan, other political members, teachers' association leaders and teaching and non-teaching staff of the university said, the university was set up in the land belonging to the forest department and the building had been constructed with the help of funds granted by the State.
The institution was playing a vital role in imparting education to women. Around 5,000 girls students were currently studying in the institution and over 300 teaching and non-teaching staff were employed there, they added in the petition.
They further said,“As the institution is yet to comply with the year 2010 norms of the University Grants Commissions, doubt prevails whether the institution will continue to get funding from the apex regulatory body. Because of this, a situation has arisen where the institution could be converted into a self-financing university.” This could affect the education of many poor girl students.
So, keeping in view the welfare of the public, the Collector should intervene in the issue immediately, they urged. Further, the petition stated, teachers and students of the university had urged the management of the institution to comply with the UGC norms. But instead of meeting them and clarifying the situation, the management closed the institution for an indefinite period.