The Hindu : Admission policy dubious: Sindhia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 26, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Admission policy dubious: Sindhia

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore April 25. The Floor Leader of the Janata Dal (United) in the Legislative Assembly and former minister, P.G.R. Sindhia, has criticised the decision of the Government to reserve 75 per cent of the seats in private professional colleges for the government quota and said it is a "dubious decision" aimed at prompting the private managements to move the Supreme Court and obtain a stay order.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, here today, he has said: "The news about the decision of the Government to fill up 75 per cent of the seats in the private professional colleges through the Common Entrance Test and also fix the fee structure is quite perturbing. While a common man lacking insight may applaud the decision, it is quite clear for a person with a little intelligence that the decision is indeed part of a sinister game plan. While taking the decision, the State Cabinet was aware that the private managements would not agree to the decision and obviously oppose the package."

Mr. Sindhia has said the decision is undoubtedly aimed at giving leverage to the private college managements and their associations to approach the Supreme Court and seek annulment of the decision. "Such a situation will come in very handy for the Government to hoodwink the people by contending that the Government did everything possible to fill the seats and regulate the fees and that the stay order and the pendency of litigation had virtually muzzled the Government. In other words, whenever the Government is criticised for its wrong handling of issues, the plea of sub judice will come in handy to defend itself. The game enacted by the Government in collusion with the college managements to help the latter is quite evident and against the people's aspirations, particularly those of the younger generation."

He has said the people of the State will not forgive the Government for the dubious role it played to ruin an excellent system that had been evolved over the years and which had led to academic excellence and an international reputation. However, "even now it is not too late. If the Government is sincere in its efforts, it can resort to steps that will lead to reinstatement of merit-based admissions and regulated fee structure.

One way to achieve this is by opting for an altogether new legislation containing positive mandates not only to regulate admissions but also the fee structure, and enshrine the legislation under Schedule Nine of the Constitution unlike the Prohibition of Capitation Fee Act, which is a negative Act."

Mr. Sindhia has said there is no doubt that the Government failed to take the right decision mainly because of its anxiety to help the management lobby. It failed to take the Opposition parties into confidence while fighting the Manipal Academy case in the Supreme Court. Had such a thing been done, the Government would not have filed an affidavit in that case supporting the stand taken by the managements. At least now, the Government should repent and act in a positive manner to bring back order in the academic sphere, the Opposition leader added.

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