India: After scrutiny, UGC will get rid of ‘selfie parts’ with PM Modi all the draw in which via colleges

Days after the University Grants Payment (UGC) in India issued a diktat for colleges and universities to position up ‘selfie parts’ that contains High Minister Narendra Modi in campuses all the draw in which via the nation, the regulatory body has withdrawn the suggested designs.

Even supposing UGC did no longer specify why it used to be rolling support the directive, it remains certain that the body had strategy below heavy scrutiny after it requested the ‘selfie parts’ to be set all the draw in which via campuses to ‘elevate consciousness about the nation’s fulfillment in deal of fields’.

Samples shared by UGC confirmed selfie parts that had PM Modi’s photo, as smartly as  snapshots of the authorities’s achievements in the fields of education and innovation in 3D layouts.

“These selfie parts is no longer going to handiest attend as a source of enjoyment, however narrate every citizen about the transformative initiatives which enjoy propelled India’s snarl on the enviornment stage. College students and guests needs to be impressed to capture and share these special moments on social media platforms, fostering a strategy of collective pleasure,” be taught UGC Secretary Manish Ratnakar Joshi’s letter to vice-chancellors of universities and colleges on Friday (Dec 1).

“There is a diversified quite quite lots of to harness the energy and enthusiasm of adolescents, moulding their minds with inspiration drawn from India’s growth in diverse fields. The selfie parts will emerge as a dynamic and enticing location to instil a strategy of nationwide pleasure,” it added.

The choice, then all as soon as more, used to be no longer well-liked entire-heartedly by a portion with many dubbing it a political tell, aimed to persuade the college students and challenged the autonomy of universities.

“We as a college neighborhood are supposed to seriously have interaction with, no longer valourise, the regime. We discover the UGC’s letter as a breach by manner of its energy,” Maya Hohna, a member of the academic council of Delhi University used to be quoted as announcing by Telegraph.

“It’s needless political interference. Universities are an self reliant open dwelling; they are required to be kept self reliant.”

This is no longer the first time when the UGC has strategy below scanner for this form of traipse. In 2021, for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the body requested colleges and universities to existing promotional banners and hoardings on the free vaccination power.

The designs of the hoardings carried a message thanking PM Modi in Hindi and English.

“Vaccines for all, free for all, world’s greatest free vaccination marketing and marketing campaign, thanks, PM Modi,” the message be taught.

(With inputs from companies)