Ranchi: A delegation of students of the Government Teachers’ Training College in Kanke on Saturday met deputy director, higher education, Dr Sahabuddin to seek help after the National Council for Teacher’s Education (NCTE) withdrew the affiliation of their institution for the upcoming session.
According to sources, the directorate has sought one week time to initiate steps for recognition of the institution.
Although NCTE had cancelled the recognition in a letter dated August 28 2019, the state government and the Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination (JCECEB) got students enrolled for the 2020-22 session. Due to the pandemic, the enrolment was done on the basis of marks procured in the University examination rather than an entrance test. After counselling, a large number of students had opted for the institute and now, the fate of around 100 hangs in balance.
Meanwhile, the higher education directorate informed that it would assign power to the college staff to withdraw money from the college fund so that a case may be filed in the high court for a relief.
“NCTE has informed that since the last date for filing a reply had lapsed long back, it is only the court which can pass an order to revert the decision,” an official of the higher education directorate said on condition of anonymity.
After a delayed admission process, offline classes started on March 1. However, the students soon found out that the recognition of the college was long cancelled.
The students wrote to various officials in the education department and also sought time from the Governor to discuss the issue. Unable to get any concrete assurance, the students locked the college gate on Thursday and sat on a dharna.
Alok Ranjan Chaubey, a student of the college, said, “The government mislead us by announcing the admission process for this college. We are among the top performers in the University and would have opted other training college had we known about goof up.”
Notably, in 2019, NCTE had asked for details from the college on its faculty, building plan and building completion certificate and the financial position. Since it received no reply, the affiliation was withdrawn.
An official of the college, not willing to be named, said the college fulfils all the criteria required for recognition and there must have been a mistake by someone in not sending the reply. It may be stated here that the college is also recognised as an institute for advanced studies. However, the college does not have a regular principal and its affairs are looked after by Usha Pandey, a faculty at the college.
Pandey said, “Whatever be the reason for the de-recognition we have to find a solution. Presently, the college is locked and we sit outside the building.”