Sri Vijaya Puram | 11 August 2026

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has submitted a six-page memorandum to Vice-President of India and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha C. P. Radhakrishnan, seeking intervention on higher education, youth opportunities and long-term development in the Islands.

The memorandum, dated 8 August 2026, places the establishment of a full-fledged Central University in the Union Territory among its principal demands.

According to ABVP, geographical isolation limits access for students to specialised higher education, advanced research facilities, professional courses and employment opportunities. The organisation has proposed an island-specific higher-education model connecting education and research with employment, healthcare, tourism, the blue economy, environmental studies and strategic development.

Central University remains principal demand

ABVP states in its memorandum that it has been pursuing the demand for a Central University since 2006. It cites limited availability of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes, specialised faculty and research infrastructure, as well as the financial and logistical burden of mainland travel, among the reasons for its demand.

The organisation has called for a publicly funded Central University specifically designed around the requirements of the Islands.

The proposed institution, according to the memorandum, should offer affordable higher education, modern academic programmes, scholarships, hostels, digital and library infrastructure, research facilities, industry linkages and entrepreneurship opportunities.

The demand comes as the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Institute of Higher Learning (NSCBIHL) has begun admissions for the 2026–27 academic session, indicating that its deemed-university framework is now being operationalised.

Review sought over NSCBIHL restructuring

ABVP has also raised concerns over the restructuring of higher education under NSCBIHL.

The organisation has referred to the proposed merger of seven government higher-education institutions and called for a transparent, evidence-based and time-bound review and consultation process before major structural decisions are taken.

It has sought participation from students, teachers, parents, academic experts, elected representatives, Panchayati Raj institutions, civil society and tribal representatives.

ABVP argues that the long-term institutional structure should be evaluated on the basis of accessibility, affordability, research capacity and the geographical and socio-economic conditions of the Islands.

Reservations over private university proposal

The memorandum also expresses reservations regarding the proposed Andaman & Nicobar Islands Private University Regulation, 2026.

ABVP has argued that private or self-financing institutions should not become a substitute for a publicly funded Central University.

The issue has also featured in the wider political debate. MP Bishnu Pada Ray had previously urged the Lieutenant Governor to keep the proposed Private University Regulation in abeyance and reiterated the demand for a Central University.

ABVP's memorandum similarly calls for a strong public higher-education system, with a Central University serving as its academic nucleus.

Youth employment, skills and healthcare

Beyond the university demand, ABVP has sought expansion of professional and vocational courses, skill-development programmes, entrepreneurship and start-up support, incubation centres, apprenticeships, career counselling, competitive-examination preparation, digital learning centres and research fellowships.

It has also sought greater employment opportunities for qualified local residents in higher-education institutions and development projects.

On healthcare, the organisation has called for expansion of tertiary healthcare, modern diagnostic infrastructure, specialist services, telemedicine, emergency and trauma care, improved access in remote islands and stronger nursing, paramedical and allied-health education.

Tribal studies and strategic research

The memorandum proposes dedicated academic programmes covering tribal studies, anthropology, indigenous knowledge systems, cultural documentation, biodiversity-linked traditional knowledge and sustainable development, while emphasising constitutional safeguards and tribal rights.

ABVP has also highlighted the strategic location of the Islands and proposed academic expertise in areas including maritime security, ocean governance, strategic and defence studies, disaster management, maritime logistics, coastal security, the blue economy and Indo-Pacific studies.

Proposed Island Knowledge and Development Ecosystem

ABVP has proposed an integrated model combining:

Education + Research + Connectivity + Employment + Healthcare + Tourism + Blue Economy + Environment + Strategic Development.

The organisation describes this as an "Island Knowledge and Development Ecosystem", under which students could pursue education, research, skills and entrepreneurship within the Islands rather than being compelled to leave for mainland institutions.

The memorandum concludes with eight principal requests, including establishment of a Central University, adequate Central funding and academic autonomy, review of the existing NSCBIHL restructuring, wider stakeholder consultation, strengthening of government colleges, improved youth employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, stronger tertiary healthcare and research addressing the Islands' ecological, geographical, strategic and socio-economic challenges.

The latest memorandum adds ABVP's voice to an ongoing debate over the future structure of higher education in the Union Territory.

The central question now concerns which model should form the long-term foundation of higher education in the Islands — the existing deemed-university framework, private-university possibilities, or a publicly funded Central University designed specifically for Andaman & Nicobar.

The implications extend beyond institutional status to access to higher education, research opportunities, employment and the broader developmental trajectory of the Union Territory.

Source: Memorandum submitted by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, dated 8 August 2026.