Protests Erupt Over Transfer of Andaman Colleges from Pondicherry University to Proposed Deemed University

New Delhi: Protests have intensified against the Central Government’s decision to shift seven colleges in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from Pondicherry University to a proposed deemed university that has not yet been established. The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) are leading the agitation. Although the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) is not officially part of the protest, many of its supporters have extended their support to the movement.

The colleges proposed to be transferred include Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya (JNRM), Andaman Law College, Andaman College (ANCOL), Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences (ANIIMS), Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Institute of Technology (DBRIT), Tagore Government College of Education (TGCE), and Mahatma Gandhi Government College (MGGC). Many medical students from different states chose to enroll in the Andaman medical college primarily because it was affiliated with Pondicherry University, a Central University. However, the decision to change the affiliation was notified by the university authorities only after the first semester examinations. Consequently, students will now receive degrees from the proposed deemed university instead of Pondicherry University. The protest has gathered significant momentum and continues to strengthen with growing public support.