Patna: Bihar’s newly approved Maa Sita Women’s University has triggered a protest in Patna, with students and teachers of JD Women’s College taking to the streets on Saturday over the proposed restructuring of existing women’s colleges.
The protesters gathered outside JD Women’s College and raised slogans against the proposed arrangement. The demonstration also disrupted traffic on Bailey Road for some time.
The protest comes days after the Bihar Cabinet approved the establishment of Maa Sita Women’s University in Patna. The university is proposed as the state’s first dedicated women’s university.
Why Are Students Opposing The Plan?
The students and teachers said they are not opposed to the creation of a women’s university. Their objection is to the proposal to bring existing women’s colleges under the new institution.
They have demanded that Maa Sita Women’s University should be established separately rather than by merging or transferring existing colleges into it.
The protesters also expressed concern that the proposed restructuring could affect the existing autonomy and administrative structure of their colleges.
Which Colleges Could Be Affected?
The proposed university will have an impact on women’s colleges currently associated with Patliputra University (PPU).
These include JD Women’s College, Ganga Devi Mahila College, Sri Arvind Mahila College, Mahila College Khagaul and RPM College.
Two women’s colleges operated by the Education Department — Gulzarbagh and Gardanibagh — are also part of the proposed restructuring. Sant Sandhya Das Mahila College in Barh has also been mentioned in connection with the new university.
The proposed shift would change the existing affiliation and administrative arrangement of these institutions.
Cabinet Approved University On September 23
The decision to establish Maa Sita Women’s University was taken at a Bihar Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on September 23.
The Cabinet also approved the establishment of Ramdhari Singh Dinkar University in Begusarai.
The new women’s university is intended to provide a dedicated higher-education institution for women in Bihar, with Patna chosen as its location.
Students Seek Change In Proposed Structure
The protesting students and teachers have called for the government to reconsider the proposed transfer of existing colleges.
Their demand is that the new university should be created without merging established women’s colleges into it. They have also sought protection of the existing academic and administrative arrangements of their institutions.
The Saturday protest has brought the implementation of the new university plan into focus, with the future administrative status of the affected colleges now emerging as a key issue.
