Protest against merger of AU and GCT
Wearing black badges, the staff and students of the 63-year-old Government College of Technology (GCT) staged a demonstration on Monday against the government’s alleged move to convert the institution into a constituent college of the Anna University (AU) here.It was the first outburst of their anger ever since the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) sought details about GCT’s assets, staff and student strength on February 7. To continue protests, they have also set up a Joint Action Council of Students and Staff. They plan to stage another demonstration on March 3 outside the college and a hunger strike on March 8.When the AU, Coimbatore, was formed last year, it was allowed to function on the premises of the GCT. But efforts to identify land for the university proved futile. There were moves to take a portion of the land from the Bharathiar University (BU). But BU stood firm against giving its land to AU, sources said. Top officials in DTE said they were still working out ways to find a land for AU.Meanwhile, the state governments alleged move to hand over the government engineering colleges in Coimbatore and Tirunelveli to the respective AUs sparked protests.
GCT staff R Chandrasekaran said almost all students of GCT are placed in multi-national companies now and the proposed move will make them compete with thousands of students coming under the AU.Another staff UM Selvaraj said “UG courses are offered at a meagre Rs 6,350. But when we come under AU, the students will have to pay a huge sum as fee.” Denying the allegations,Vice- Chancellor of AU, Prof R Radhakrishnan, said: “the move will make it better since we stress on research and the GCT can maintain its status as it is.”Director of Technical Education R Sivakumar described Monday’s protest as unnecessary since no decision has been taken over the shift.“Some suggestions were placed regarding the handing over of GCT to AU in Coimbatore and another government college to the AU in Tirunelveli. We are only thinking about it,” he said.
