UGC’s ‘unusual’ plan for selfie spots in colleges opposed

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: All India Democratic Students Organisation has taken issue with the University Grants Commission’s (UGC’s) directive to higher education institutions to set up “selfie points” in the college campuses, reportedly to highlight achievements of the country.

The student organisation however, claimed that it was a move to promote Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cult of personality.

AIDSO Karnataka State Secretary Ajay Kamath said that it would be better if UGC addressed issues pertaining to education such as rapid privatization.

“This instruction of UGC which projects the ruling party leaders is undemocratic. Instead of solving the problems faced by the educational system of the country. This is a dangerous fascist move to immerse the students and youth of the country in one-sided thinking, including worshiping the personality of a leader and an ideology,” Kamath said.

“Instead the UGC should be active in solving the problems facing the country's education system, including commercialization of education, privatization, and closure of public educational institutions. Instead of portraying any political leader, AIDSO expresses the desire to spread the thoughts of Renaissance pioneers like Ishwara Chandra Vidyasagar, Rajaram Mohan Roy, Jyotiba Phule, Savitribai Phule and revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose among the students,” he added.