HYDERABAD: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) bill not just takes away the financial autonomy but if implemented, would expose the country to ideological manipulation, downgraded educational standards and massive fee hike. He was speaking at the brainstorming session on the ‘Proposed Higher Education Commission of India’ organised by the Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE).
The MIM leader was also unhappy that only three weeks were given for public discussion on the draft HECI policy. He called the bill an example of maximum “interference by the Modi government”, which aimed at making the commission toothless by appointing a chairman, who too would be a Central government employee. Owaisi also objected to reducing of the academic representative from four in UGC to two in HECI. “By adding the sub-clause ‘doyen to industry’ in the commission, the government is allowing educational institutions to align with industry and not focus on the academic requirement of students.”
The MLA was also of the view that the bill will promote marginalisation of minorities and eventually encourage more students to drop out. “I oppose the HECI bill as it is against federalism, minorities and will lead to ideological manipulation,” he said.