AKTU probes admission row at Gr Noida college

Greater Noida: Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU) has launched an inquiry into admission-related concerns of the GL Bajaj Institute of Management and Research students, days after students staged a protest alleging irregularities in the MBA admission process, university officials said on Tuesday

Greater Noida: Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU) has launched an inquiry into admission-related concerns of the GL Bajaj Institute of Management and Research students, days after students staged a protest alleging irregularities in the MBA admission process, university officials said on Tuesday.

AKTU officials said that the five-member inquiry committee has asked the GL Bajaj institute on Monday evening to submit the list of students admitted to its MBA programme. (HT Photos)

Senior officials of the GL Bajaj institute that is affiliated to AKTU, however, said the institute has resolved the issue related to students who had completed the required admission process.

Around 85% of GL Bajaj institute’s MBA seats are filled through AKTU counselling and admission, while the remaining 15% are through the institute’s management quota, university officials said.

AKTU officials said that the five-member inquiry committee has asked the GL Bajaj institute on Monday evening to submit the list of students admitted to its MBA programme.

Jai Prakash Pandey, vice-chancellor of AKTU, said, “We had sent one notice a couple of days ago as well following media reports on the ongoing student protest. This inquiry committee has five senior officials, and they have started proceedings into the matter…We are responsible for our affiliation only,” he said.

Last Tuesday (September 22), a group of students protested, raising concern over alleged irregularities in the admission process and delays in confirmation of seats despite payment of ₹1.72 lakh in fees and attending classes for several days.

They alleged that their admissions had not been confirmed citing lack of adequate seats and that they were given the option to withdraw admission and seek a refund, transfer to the post graduate diploma in management (PGDM) programme, or take admission at the institute’s Mathura campus.

Since the protest, some students have received admission confirmation, while others have opted to seek refunds. Some students told HT that they were subsequently offered or shifted to the institute’s Mathura campus without their consent.

GL Bajaj has 800 MBA seats in total, said the institute’s officials.

Pankaj Agarwal, vice-chairman of GL Bajaj, on Tuesday said the institute has resolved the issue for students twho had completed the required admission process, and classes were functioning normally. “All is settled. That is also what we said in response to the AKTU notice. Classes are functioning normally. Any student who is still facing an issue can speak to us directly,” he said.

He also said the issue concerned students who had not completed the required registration and enrolment process within the stipulated period.

“The issue was that some students did not report their registration that was generated on September 14. After September 14, we cannot give them admission. All the admitted students have to enrol into the university and report. They are informed earlier of all these procedures,” Agarwal said.

The number of registrations could exceed the number of available seats, he added.

Vivek Pandey, a student, said, “I did my BBA from this institute, and I also wanted to pursue my masters from the same. So, I got in. But now they didn’t even seek my approval and just shifted me to the Mathura campus. I came to know about it after I called the administration, and was told that I had been shifted to the campus,” he added.

Another student, requesting anonymity said, they eventually opted for the Mathura campus while feeling that they had no other option. “What other choice do I have? I would have wasted one year. What will I tell my parents?” the student said.

Both students said the Mathura campus was not their first choice and that the change could affect their career plans.