BENGALURU:The state Primary and Secondary Education Minister N Mahesh ordered an inquiry into the recent allegations raised against the Department of Primary and Secondary Education, of issuing approvals to set up new private PU colleges violating norms.
Addressing the press conference on Tuesday, the minister said, “I will constitute a committee conduct inquiry into two allegations raised against the department. One allegation is that department had allegedly issued approvals violating code of conduct and second is the alleged violation of the norm that no private college should be approved within three km radius of an existing government college.”
However, the minister did not clarify about the kind of inquiry that would be conducted, if it would be by an internal agency or by an external one. Talking about it, N Mahesh said, “The mode of inquiry will be decided soon. I agree that there is a demand for external inquiry, but I have to look into the rules and regulations before constituting the committee.” The allegation had been raised by MLC Arun Shahapur about corruption at government level while clearing the files related to 84 new private PU colleges in
the state.
According to Shahapur, those 84 files had been rejected at the level of Director of Pre-university Education Department mainly because of poor infrastructure that did not meet the norms. But, Shahpur alleged, the same files were recalled by the principal secretary and approvals were issued and also alleged that these files were approved when code of conduct was in place for MLC polls.
Mahesh said the state government is planning to bring out an amendment to ensure that the files pertaining to setting up of new PU colleges will be cleared by the Director of DPUE, and that the government will have nothing to do with it. “We will soon propose an amendment to the act,” he said.
‘Free bus pass to be discussed’
Minister N Mahesh said that he will discuss the free bus-pass issue with the transport minister and take a final decision. Transport Minister D C Thammanna had said recently that if the education department gives financial assistance, they will issue free bus passes to students.