JOIN USColleges cautioned against fleecing
The State government has said it will take strict action against those colleges which are selling application forms for more than the prescribed fee of Rs 15, for admission to pre-university courses. The government may even go to the extent of cancelling recognition of the colleges which are found flouting the norm.
Speaking to press persons, on Wednesday, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri said, the officers have been instructed to come down heavily on those colleges which are violating the norms set by the department in admitting students for PUC. The disciplinary action depends on the seriousness of the violation committed by each college.
Pre-University colleges began issuing applications soon after SSLC results were announced. However, the Education department had not made any surprise visits to any of the colleges so far. The minister said that officers would make surprise visits in the coming days.
He said that through media reports he came to know about copies of application and prospectus being sold for exorbitant prices. The department had not fixed price for copies of prospectus. However, colleges had been instructed to provide copies of prospectus with minimum information about the courses and the college at nominal rates. Price for a copy of prospectus varies from college to college. “During visits to the colleges our officers will find out these things and take necessary action,” he said.
He said deputy commissioners have been authorised to take action against erring colleges. Parents can complain to the DC in their respective districts if they find irregularities by colleges.
PU admissions
The number of students who have passed in SSLC has gone up by 71,000 compared to the results of the previous year. Last year 5.26 lakh students were admitted in 3,533 PU colleges. The minister said that the government had made arrangements to accommodate students by granting more sections.
“Demands for additional sections from private and aided colleges have been approved. Similarly in government colleges the 60 sections each in science and commerce category, have been started,” he said.
The government is also considering granting permission to start 100 private PU colleges.
He said there were 300 applications to start PU colleges. The government was contemplating to give permission to 100 colleges, which have necessary infrastructure facilities.
He clarified that there was no proposal before the State government to start new government PU colleges this year.
Replying to a question, he said that 2,700 lecturers for Pre-University colleges had been recruited by the Karnataka Public Service Commission. The commission had said that it would send the final list of candidates selected for the posts to the department by the end of May. “If they report to duty on time there will not be shortage of staff in the PU colleges,” he said.
Nali-kali
Kageri said the government had decided to extend Nali-Kali, an activities based learning programme, to all schools. In the previous year the programme was conducted for children of 1st and 2nd standards in 14,000 schools.
The department would provide training for teachers and resource persons for effective implementation of the programme, he added.
Lapse
Referring to media reports that the State did not receive funds under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan for the year 2009-10, the minister said that the Human Resource Department had sought utilisation certificate (UC) for funds released in the previous year.
He admitted that it was lapse on the part of the State government for not filing Utilisation Certificate in time.
The government would submit UCs soon. As soon as the certificates were submitted allocation for the next year would be released, he said.