In what could be a setback for the Bangalore University (BU) Task Force, which is trying hard to ensure erring BEd colleges are not affiliated for 2012-13, Minister for Higher Education R V Deshpande on Tuesday refused to accept a copy of the final report on BEd colleges.
“I do not have time for these reports”, Deshpande told Task Force chairman H Karan Kumar. “It (Task Force) was set up by the Vice-chancellor. Give your report to him. Why should I accept your report?” Deshpande, who is also pro-chancellor of universities, hit out at Karan Kumar.
Higher Education principal secretary Rajneesh Goel looked on while Deshpande hit out at Karan Kumar for ‘not following procedure’.
Deshpande said that as per procedure, reports have to be submitted to the Principal Secretary and not to the Minister directly.
In a letter last Saturday, Goel had sought ‘detailed reports’ from the BU on the recent Academic Council and Syndicate resolutions pertaining to renewal/withdrawal of affiliation to teacher education colleges.
‘No Pressure on Me’
VC B Thimme Gowda refuted allegations that he was under any ‘external pressure’ over the BEd affiliation crisis. “No, I am not under any pressure,” Prof Gowda told Express.