A delegation from Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Monday met University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Professor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar and submitted him a memorandum ,highlighting important issues related to the higher education system and students.
In the memorandum, it demanded that the amount of non-NET fellowship given to students, which is Rs 8000 per month since 2011, should be immediately increased and it should be extended to state universities also. Moreover, the deadline for uploading certificates on the UGC Fellowship portal should be extended and increase the number of scholarships in line with the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education.
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ABVP demanded implementation of CUET as a centralized admission process for all universities and ensuring uniform application fee adding that regularity should be ensured in the academic calendar of undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD programs.
The delegation also demanded for direct elections for student unions in educational institutions and stressed the need for a National Students’ Union Act to streamline the conduct of student unions and their elections. It further demanded student representation on academic and administrative councils of universities.
Additionally, ABVP urged for robust measures to prevent violence, harassment, and substance abuse on campuses. The delegation also called on the Ministry of Education to expedite the appointment of vacant Vice-Chancellor and full-time Registrar posts to ensure the efficient functioning of institutions.
Speaking about the meeting, Dr. Virendra Singh Solanki, ABVP National General Secretary, stated that immediate steps must be taken to reform the higher education system. He stressed that addressing students’ concerns and providing them with a conducive and meaningful academic environment should be a priority for the government and relevant stakeholders.
