Virbhadra Singh came down heavily on the students politics in Universities

Dharamshala, October 6, 2016: While interacting with the National Assessment and Accreditation Council, (NAAC) team which visited the Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) for inspection last evening, the Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh came down heavily on the students politics in Universities all over the country where the elections were marked by violence and turmoil. He said ,” HP government won't tolerate students indiscipline in the institutes of higher education. I agree that there should be representation by student leaders, but it should be on merit. I oppose the stands of students on direct election, which sometimes leads to turmoil and riots in the campus affecting studies of students and vitiating the academic atmosphere.”
The selection of student bodies should be on basis of merit, he said, he stressed upon. “I being a student of Saint Stephen college, Delhi, never took part in student politics though we had our own student body elected on merit.”
He called for maintaining discipline in the campus and the teachers should not try to impose their personal ideology upon the students when it comes to teaching profession.
He exhorted that teachers should not be part of politics though they were free to vote in Assembly or Lok Sabha elections but they could not be ‘preachers of politics’ and could not hold any political office in educational institutions.
“ I have passion for education and I had no intention of entering into politics, he said adding that I wanted to be a professor in Delhi University or if I would not have been there, may be in some other University”, he said.
The Chief Minister said that around 200 bighas of land had been identified near Ghannahatti for setting up another campus of University as there was no scope of expansion at the present site.
He said that State government has opened or upgraded over 1010 schools in the State during last 45 months taking the total strength of schools to 15500. 24 ITI's, two Engineering Colleges and 41 colleges have been opened in the State during the present tenure of the Government taking total strength of colleges to 115 in the state, he said. Three medical colleges were coming up at Hamirpur, Chamba and the one at Nahan has started functioning.
Chairman of NAAC team, Shri Inder Vardhan Trivedi thanked the Chief Minister for his generosity, honour and thoughtful address. Vice-Chancellor, Shri ADN Bajpai extended his heartfelt gratitude to the Chief Minister and said that in term of financial security, HPU was the third such university all over the India.Chief Secretary, Shri VC Pharka, Advisor to CM, Shri T.G. Negi, Pro Vice Chancellor, Shri R.S. Chauhan, Registrar, Shri Pankaj Lalit, Director Information and Public Relations, Shri R.S. Negi were also present amongst others.