Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 5

Close on the heels of private colleges saying no to the state government’s undertaking on the Post-Matric SC scholarship, the Non-Government Colleges’ Management Federation (NGCMF), too, have come up with their reservations.

They urged the state government to reimburse pending grants relating to the scholarship for the SC students who passed out from 137 aided colleges in the state. The decision was taken during a meeting convened under chairmanship of the coordination committee of the NGCMF, Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina.

The committee unanimously announced that none of their 137 colleges would give such an undertaking as desired by the state government.

Other issues, including pending DPI grants, appointing representative to managing committees of colleges by the DPI were also discussed.

Recently, the state government had issued orders to pay only 40 per cent of Rs 200-crore arrears of educational institutions (SC scholarship scheme) for the period 2017-18 to 2019-20. It would be paid in six quarterly instalments.

“This is highly deplorable. How can colleges survive? The government is going away from its commitments to pay the Post-Matric SC scholarship grants,” said Chhina adding that they would contest against the circulars issued by the Social Welfare Department.

“The order mentions that colleges would be giving a mandatory undertaking that they would never seek the remaining 60 per cent amount neither from the state government nor from students. Our federation has decided not to sign any such undertaking sought by the state government,” he said and added that the government must consider colleges’ demand of immediate release of the funds. He said the Centre has already issued directions to release the amount.

Former vice-chancellor of GNDU Dr SP Singh, who is a member of the committee, said the state government has also recommended that private educational institutions would not withhold roll numbers, certificates or degrees of students, would make no claims and take back pending court cases. “How can colleges give such an undertaking when dues are not being cleared,” he said.