Row over centralised admission portal: 20 private unaided colleges boycott exam duty

Opposing the centralised admission portal, staff of 20 private unaided colleges in the city, staged a protest outside their institutions and boycotted the duties for university examinations

Opposing the centralised admission portal, staff of 20 private unaided colleges in the city, staged a protest outside their institutions and boycotted the duties for university examinations.

Private college unions have already announced boycott of university exams, which were scheduled for this week. (Manish/ HT Photo)

The teachers gathered outside the colleges to express their dissent. On Wednesday, the Panjab University postponed exams in view of the protest. Private college unions have already announced boycott of university exams, which were scheduled for this week. The teachers started protests outside the colleges, which will continue till June 3.

There are approximately 22 private unaided colleges in Ludhiana, whose managements are opposing the centralised admissions portal announced by the state government.

During a press conference, held at Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women (GNKCW) in Ludhiana on Wednesday, Gurvinder Singh Sarna, the general secretary of GNKCW and a member of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), which consists of the Management Federation of Unaided Colleges, principals’ association, and PCCTU, announced a complete boycott of university examinations starting from May 31.

The JAC members expressed concerns about the centralised admission portal and its adverse impact on higher education in Punjab. They criticised government for not addressing the demands of both aided and unaided colleges, which has led to exam boycott.

The JAC has also demanded reinstatement of the original 95% deficit grant-in-aid scheme for all teachers in colleges. Various organisations’ representatives have decided to jointly protest to get this demand fulfilled.

The centralised admission portal aims to allow students across the state to apply for admission to any college based on merit, eliminating the need for physical visits and separate admission forms. The portal is integrated with other government digital platforms such as Digilocker and E-Sewa.

SM Sharma, co-ordinator of JAC, expressed concern that the centralised admission portal infringes upon the autonomy of non-government colleges. The members added, “The higher education sector in the state is already facing a severe financial crisis, and this move, implemented without any consultation with college administrations, will only worsen the situation.”