Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University on Tuesday decided to reduce 20,000 seats of degree courses in 39 constituent colleges, dealing a blow to higher education in the state. Affiliated colleges, however, have been exempted.

The government believes the move would help the skewed student-teacher ratio in the state.

The varsity’s sub-committee on admission affairs had recommended the move. Dean, students’ welfare, N.K. Singh, who headed the panel, said: “We studied the recommendations minutely before arriving at the decision. However, affiliated colleges don’t need to curtail seats.” The panel also discussed the seat curtailment issue with vice-chancellor Ravi Verma, pro-vice-chancellor Rajendra Mishra, proctor A.K. Srivastava and others on Tuesday.

The constituent colleges are located in Muzaffarpur, Hajipur, Motihari, Bettiah, Bagaha, Sitamarhi and Sheohar. The state government had directed the varsity to constitute the panel in January 2013.

The state government had also asked the university to adhere to recommendations of a rationalisation committee created in 2007.

Proctor Srivastava said: “Curtailment of seats is one of the recommendations. The university has not included affiliated colleges as these take in a large number of students every year. The number of teachers in constituent colleges has gone down drastically in the past 10 years and principals have expressed helplessness in running classes.”

Pro-vice-chancellor Rajendra Mishra told The Telegraph that at least 560 sanctioned posts would be surrendered, as these positions would cease to exist after the teachers retire. The dwindling number of students prompted the state government to surrender the posts of teachers. There has been no appointment of teachers and many are on the verge of retirement.

Mishra said several teachers are likely to be shifted to colleges where there are very few students. The general secretary of Bihar State University Service Teachers’ Association, and senate member Arun Kumar said the state government has turned a blind eye towards higher education.

“The government should sanction new posts of teachers and fill up vacant posts. But, it wants to ruin the standard of education. The decision of curtailing 20,000 seats from 39 constituent colleges is a huge setback. The government should encourage increasing the gross enrolment ratio, which is 5 per cent. It should be at least 15 per cent. The ratio will get a boost only if students are motivated to take admission to colleges imparting quality education,” Kumar said.

He added: “There were no teachers in the colleges and the posts fell vacant after the retirement of teachers.” Youth leader Kesri Nandan Sharma of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad said student bodies would protest the move of the university.”