Chennai, Jan 19 (IANS) Students of Saveetha University, one of the 44 deemed universities whose derecognition has been sought, went on a rampage on its premises near here.
The students started damaging the property Monday night and continued their rampage Tuesday, fearing derecognition of their courses.

The university runs courses in engineering, medicine and dentistry, among others.

Top officials of Saveetha University were not reachable for comment while the office staff maintained that nothing went amiss.

The central government Monday filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court seeking derecognition of the 44 institutions.

In New Delhi, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal Tuesday said concept of deemed universities will be abolished in India. However, he requested the students not to panic and assured them that they will get a university degree even if the deemed university status is cancelled.

The government would permit the deemed universities to get themselves affiliated to another university as a normal college.

Couple of years ago, students of another deemed university — Sathyabhama University — near here went on the rampage, damaging college property on the issue of getting recognition from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for some of the courses offered by the institution.