Chandigarh, December 21
The SAD-led state government witnessed biting criticism at the hands of its own MLAs in the Vidhan Sabha today over its lack of control on universities that were playing with students’ career. The Opposition Congress was not in attendance during the debate.

While the House passed Bills for the setting up of two new universities - DAV University and Desh Bhagat University - the members ensured that the government put on record its commitment for reserving seats for the poor in such colleges and universities, ensuring quality education and preventing them from operating like “sweet shops”.

Putting the Education Department on the back foot, BJP MLA Som Prakash said: “The government needs to be sure about the standard of education in new institutions being allowed in the state. Most of these institutions are mere shops. Over one lakh institutions had closed down in Andhra Pradesh after a similar boom. The same will happen here if there is no check on the quality of education and job placement record.”

SAD spokesperson Daljeet Cheema said it was meaningless to allow such institutions to run if there was no mechanism to check the quality of education being provided there.

“Imagine engineers from such colleges working in marble shops and as car mechanics,” he said.

Nirmal Kahlon from Fatehgarh Churian said such universities were only for those who could afford to provide expensive education to their children. “Where will the poor children go?” he said.

Baghapurana MLA Mahesh Inder Singh commented on the background of “people who were opening educational institutions like shops”.

Adampur MLA Pawan Teenu said: “Only those who fail to get admission to good universities come to these institutions. They get degrees but no jobs.”

SAD leader Tota Singh sought a government survey on the placement record of such institutions.

As MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha rose to make his comments, Speaker Nirmal Kahlon cut him short and completed the formality of passing the Bills of the two new universities.

Before presenting the Bill, Education Minister Sikander Maluka assured the House that the government would ensure that such institutions did not operate like “shops” and reserved seats for the poor and deserving.