Tripura opposition MLAs stage a walkout over the passage of three private university bills, citing lack of UGC approval and potential risks to students.
Agartala Mar 20: The academic future of Tripura’s youth has become the latest flashpoint in the state assembly, as the opposition bench staged a dramatic walkout on Friday.
On the sixth day of the Budget session today, legislators from the CPI(M) and Congress abandoned the floor.
The opposition parties charged the state government with “gambling” with student careers by fast-tracking the establishment of three private universities.
Protesting opposition parties alleged the universities lack national regulatory clearance.
The friction ignited during the introduction of bills for three proposed institutions: Atal Bihari Vajpayee Skill University, Science Technology and Allied University, and International University.
Opposition leaders’ arguments
Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury and senior Congress leader Sudip Roy Barman spearheaded the dissent, raising red flags over the legitimacy of these entities.
The opposition’s primary contention is that none of the three proposed universities have secured mandatory approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Roy Barman also alleged these universities, no ranking by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and no assessment certificate from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NACC).
“We are looking at institutions with zero digital footprint and no verifiable academic standing,” the opposition argued.
They noted that while one university has a minimal online presence, the others appear to be virtually non-existent in public records.
Despite a heated demand to refer the bills to a Select Committee for rigorous vetting, the Treasury Bench utilized its majority to bypass the plea and pass the legislation.
This move prompted Jitendra Chaudhury to allege “financial irregularities” behind the haste, suggesting a lack of transparency in the selection of these private partners.
Speaking to reporters after the walkout, Jitendra Chaudhury commented, Daal mein kuch Kalahy hye. He alleged that the speed with which the bills were passed hinted at possible financial irregularities.
Choudhary expressed suspicion over the process, stating that the circumstances raise serious doubts about transparency and intent.
Post-walkout, Sudip Roy Barman issued a direct warning to the public: “We urge parents and students across Tripura to exercise extreme caution. Investing in these unverified institutions could lead to academic dead-ends.”
Minister’s response
Higher Education Minister Kishor Barman asserted that even after passing of the Private University Bills in the Legislative Assembly, the concerned Universities would undergo scrutiny and will be set up only if they satisfy all the necessary parameters including UGC guidelines.
Pitching for private universities, he said, every year, around Rs 200-400 crore funnel out of the State as many students opt for universities of the other States. Setting up of private Universities would offer students to stay in the State and continue their higher studies in those Universities.
He defended the Cabinet decisions pertaining to the three Private University Bills
News Analysis: A Pattern of Educational Expansion
The current standoff mirrors past debates in Tripura regarding the balance between privatizing higher education and maintaining rigorous state oversight.
In recent years, Tripura has sought to transform itself into a regional education hub, inviting private players to bridge the gap in specialized skill development.
However, today’s walkout highlights a growing anxiety: that “Ease of Doing Business” in the education sector might be coming at the cost of “Quality of Education.”
Without UGC ‘validation’, degrees from these institutions risk being unrecognized nationally, potentially repeating the “degree mill” controversies seen in other states over the last decade.