KOZHIKODE: The controversy over sanctioning 700 new Plus-One batches and schools has intensified with the Muslim Educational Society (MES) revealing documents which prove the cabinet sub-committee had sanctioned 104 more Plus-One batches against the recommendation of the Higher Secondary Directorate.
MES president Dr P A Fazal Gafoor, on Thursday, told reporters that the extra batches were revealed when comparing the report submitted by the Higher Secondary Directorate and the list of Plus-One batches sanctioned by the cabinet sub-committee.
He also informed that MES had filed a petition in the Kerala High Court questioning the criteria behind the state government’s decision and alleged massive irregularities. The Court will consider the petition on August 11.
“It has become clear that among the 700 new batches, 104 fresh batches were squeezed into the original list by the cabinet sub-committee. As many as 23 new batches were included in Ernakulam district alone in this way. This shows massive violation of rules and regulation. The government should clarify on what basis did they sanctioned these extra batches,” Gafoor said.
MES also supported the stand taken by the NSS in the issue. “However, unlike NSS, we will admit students to new batches allocated to us in this academic year. Besides, the dissent showed by NSS against the government’s diktat that a strength of 40 students is mandatory for new Plus-One batches has affirmed our argument that excess number of batches were accorded to schools in Southern Kerala,” Gafoor said.