Aided colleges in Punjab boycott centralised admissions portal

The Non-Govt Aided Colleges Management Federation on Wednesday called for an “all-out fight” to protect the autonomy of higher educational institutions in Punjab and Chandigarh

The Non-Govt Aided Colleges Management Federation on Wednesday called for an “all-out fight” to protect the autonomy of higher educational institutions in Punjab and Chandigarh.

Federation president Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina said the tepid response of the AAP government to the issues confronting the colleges was forcing them to adopt the path of agitations and protests. (HT File Photo)

Addressing a press conference here, federation president Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina said the tepid response of the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to the issues confronting the colleges was forcing them to adopt the path of agitations and protests.

Chhina, whose federation claims to represent 142 colleges in Punjab and Chandigarh, said the state government was bent upon enforcing unilateral and arbitrary decisions without consulting them as stakeholders. “The latest directive from the education department to impose centralised admission portals through a private firm is illegal, full of flaws and being enforced with ulterior motives,” he alleged.

Chhina said they have shot off letters to Mann and education minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer but there is no response. “Our appeals for discussions and listening to our grievances have also fallen on deaf ears,” he said, adding, “The move is not practicable as it will lead to the harassment of the students and their parents, seeking admissions in the current academic session”.

The federation president, in a press statement, said their delegation met DPI Rajeev Kumar Gupta who listened to their grievances patiently and promised to take appropriate decision after consultation with senior authorities shortly, besides promising to constitute a committee to look into other issues too. “The colleges already have their own online portals which cater to the needs of the admissions. The government’s decision is discriminatory as private universities have been kept out of the purview. They will be benefited with this scheme at the cost of the government-aided colleges,” he said.

The federation president said there is no provision in the grant-in-aid scheme which authorises the taking over of the admission process of aided colleges in Punjab. He said private self-financed, unaided colleges are not covered by this directive and this move is only directed against the aided colleges in Punjab.