Hitherto such crimes were dealt with the CrPC, but with the passing of this legislation all kinds of malpractices relating to education and educational institutions would be dealt by this law.
“The bill prohibiting educational malpractices will be a landmark legislation as for the first time the government would be able to initiate criminal proceedings against officials at private institutions who cheat students or make false promises to them,” an Human Resource Development Ministry official said here after the GoM cleared the Bill.
The law, if comes into effect, would make charging of capitation fees for admission in private professional colleges punishable with a minimum Rs 5 lakh and a maximum of Rs 50 lakh penalty. The offender might also be subjected to a jail sentence of up to three years. The cases on such offences would be decided by the educational tribunals, to be brought into existence by another law.
While a “fake university” running without proper recognition might be penalised under the UGC Act, a recognised institution making false claims regarding its infrastructure, faculty and laboratories cannot be punished under the present system. The erring institutions can also be derecognised by the University Grants Commission and the HRD ministry can stop grants to recognised institutions that fail to fulfil their obligations.
DH News Service