Punjab educationists to rally against AAP govt ahead of Jalandhar by-poll – Times of India

Amritsar: The educationists in Punjab have blamed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for allegedly destroying the education network in the state and have challenged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for a debate on the state’s higher education system and have also decided to make it a political issue ahead of Jalandhar Lok Sabha bye-elections.
Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina, head of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) informed on Monday “Though there are numerous issues confronting higher education in the state, three primary current demands of the JAC are the scrapping of the proposed Centralized Admission Portal for Colleges, conversion of all posts into the grant-in-aid schemes and the third demand is formation of Higher Education Regulatory Authority (HERA) in the state to monitor the institutions of higher learning”
The JAC is comprised of Aided Colleges Managements, Principals Associations of three state universities, Punjab Chandigarh Colleges Teachers Union (PCCTU), and managements of unaided colleges.
Stating that ahead of Jalandhar by poll they would take up the issue with the candidates of all political parties, Chhina said “We are meeting the party candidates of all political parties to convey our message regarding our issues in Jalandhar. There will be a massive protest rally at Jalandhar on May 5, 2023 against the Punjab government”.
PCCTU President Dr. Vinay Sofat said if the Punjab government did not wake up to their demands then they would be forced to boycott all the examinations of the three state universities in the days to come.
Principal Khalsa College Dr. Mahal Singh said the JAC had sought an appointment from the Chief Minister and Education Minister but to no avail. “We have written to all the state university Vice Chancellors regarding the decision of the boycott of the exam duties,” He said the colleges were already witnessing a shortfall in admissions due to the flight of the youth to foreign countries . “There are numerous ill-affect of the portal on the colleges, both financially and administratively”, added he.