Admission scam in Mumbai’s minority colleges? State government to look into claims
Opposition alleges 3 colleges converting minority seats into management to ‘sell them’; state refutes allegations, but promises probe
mumbai Updated: Jun 26, 2019 01:03 ISTTaking note of the Opposition’s claims, the state government on Tuesday promised a probe into allegations of corruption in allotting 50% seats in educational institutions to students from linguistic and religious minority communities in this year’s admission process.
Linguistic and religious minority institutions are supposed to reserve 50% of their seats for specific linguistic or religious community. The Opposition, in the legislative Council, however, alleged that some minority colleges were converting reserved seats into management and selling them to students for lakhs of rupees. Leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde said, “Kishinchand Chellaram (KC) College, Hassaram Rijhumal College of Commerce and Economics (HR College) and Jai Hind College, along with others, fill only 5-7% of the reserved seats with students from the minority community. These colleges don’t get enough students from the minority community to fill up all 50% seats.”
Munde alleged the remaining seats are transferred to the management quota, and sold for ₹4-5 lakh each, in connivance with the deputy director of education.
School education minister Ashish Shelar told the Council, “If there is any corruption in the matter, we will look into it. I will make special squads to examine the cases.” Shelar, however, refuted allegations of involvement of the deputy director of education in the issue. He also denied that such seats were sold through the management quota, and maintained they are surrendered to the state, and are then filled up via the online admission system.
Munde then read out names of students admitted to these colleges, and asked the house if the last names appear to be of those from the minority community.
Shelar said, “Assuming what the leader of the Opposition is saying is true, I will examine each case singularly and independently for the three colleges you have named. I even met with the three principals earlier this week to discuss the issue.”
Process transparent, no corruption: Board
First Published: Jun 26, 2019 00:57 IST