The Hindu : Inquiry into computer education scandal demanded

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 14, 2003

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Inquiry into computer education scandal demanded

DEHRA DUN JULY 13. Terming it as a ``computer education scandal'', Opposition parties in Uttaranchal have demanded a high-level probe into the State Government's decision of charging two different rates for Master of Computer Applications (MCA) degree courses.

``The Government should clarify its position as to why it gave the contract to a private firm (APTECH) to provide MCA degree at Rs 350 per month in 11 districts even as a reputed public sector company (ECIL) was offering the same course at Rs 162 only,'' the BJP spokesman, Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank, said.

Demanding a high-level probe into the issue, Mr. Nishank said: ``It seems the State Government was more determined for the benefit and development of private firms than its own people''.

Accusing the State Information Technology Department of adopting ``anti-people'' policies, the State president of Nationalist Congress Party, Surya Kant Dhasmana, said the Government had ``crossed all limits''.

Meanwhile, the public sector company, ECIL, said it was seeking legal opinion on the Government's action.

``We are seeking a legal opinion on the issue as to how we were not given contracts for all the 69 colleges even though we offered similar courses at minimum fee,''ECIL vice president V K Malik said adding he has urged the Government to increase the number of colleges to be covered by ECIL or to ask APTECH to lower its fee.

The State Government on July 11 in a MoU signed with ECIL had decided to charge Rs 162 from students of 12 degree colleges in Hardwar and Udhamsingh Nagar whereas on July 1 it had entered into a similar tie-up with Aptech and decided to levy a fee of Rs 350 per month from students of 57 degree colleges. — PTI

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Inquiry into computer education scandal demanded