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Scrapping of UGC will hit hard higher education sector: Cong

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, July 25 - Opposition Congress party has opposed the government�s plan to scrap the University Grants Commission (UGC) and replace it with a new regulatory body for the higher education sector.

Addressing a press conference here today, general secretary and senior spokesperson of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) Apurba Bhattacharya said that scrapping of the UGC and its replacement by the proposed Higher Education Commission of India would severely harm the higher education sector in the country and also take away the autonomy of institutions.

The APCC has also called for regularisation of the jobs of teachers in the State who have taken to the path of agitation, alleging that they have been deprived of their salaries for many years due to some administrative flaw.

Bhattacharya said that in the run-up to the 2016 Assembly polls the BJP had promised to regularise the jobs of those teachers, many of whom were given appointment during 1996-2001, and have been teaching regularly despite their appointment having been declared illegal. He said the State government should fulfil its electoral promise.

The Congress also expressed surprise at the government�s decision to lift the ban on import of fish from outside the State.

�How is it that the same chalani fish from Andhra Pradesh has now been allowed to be sold in the markets here when the State government had only ten days ago declared such fish unfit for consumption? What is the reason that import and sale of such fish have been allowed again? Is there any role of syndicates in the matter? Who benefited from the price rise of fish in the State during the last 10 days?� Bhattacharya wondered.

He said that the Assam government�s decision to allow fish from outside the State comes at a time when Meghalaya has banned import of fish for 15 days citing presence of formalin in the fish.

�Even Goa has banned fish from Andhra Pradesh. So, on what basis has the food safety department allowed such fish to be sold here?� wondered Bhattacharya.

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