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Over 50 detained during protest against proposed Mata Sita Women's varsity in Patna

Digital Desk | Patna, Oct 10 (IANS) Bihar police on Saturday detained more than 50 teaching and non-teaching staff during a protest at JD Women's College here against the proposed establishment of Mata Sita Women's University. The demonstrators, who had gathered from different parts of Bihar, raised slogans against the governments plan to detach womens colleges from Patliputra University and bring them under the proposed university. The protesters said the concerns of teachers and the institutions should be addressed before any changes are made to the existing administrative and academic structure of womens higher education in the state. Rajeshwari Kumari, a participant in the agitation, said the government should implement the original 1976 Act instead of introducing amendments that would separate womens colleges from their existing university arrangements. According to Kumari, the Act envisioned a centralised and organised university system for women in Bihar. The protesters argued that the original framework should be considered before restructuring womens higher education. They also pointed out that several universities in Bihar already have two, four, or five womens colleges under their jurisdiction. They questioned whether detaching selected colleges to establish a separate university would address the challenges facing womens education. The protesters demanded consultations on the academic requirements, administrative arrangements and existing status of womens colleges before the government proceeds with the proposed changes. They called for an integrated and equitable academic framework that would address the needs of women students and the institutions providing higher education. Teaching and non-teaching staff and heads of departments from Patna University and various constituent colleges participated in the demonstration. Those involved in leading the protest included Santosh Kumar of Commerce College, Dr Seema of the Chemistry Department at JD Womens College, and Heena of the Philosophy Department, among others. Police detained several participants to maintain law and order. Despite the detentions, the protesters said they would continue their agitation until their demands were considered. Their principal demands include implementing the original 1976 Act and holding consultations with teachers and the institutions concerned before changing the structure governing womens colleges.