HYDERABAD: The High Court on Thursday directed the Telangana government to file a counter affidavit, explaining why it had not conducted the Language Pandit Common Entrance Test (LPCET) for the last two years despite designating a convener for holding the same.Justice Challa Kodanda Ram gave this direction on a petition filed by Balaraj and seven others of the city seeking a direction to the state government to conduct LPCET.Petitioners’ counsel NS Arjun Kumar submitted that a majority of the 42 language pandit training colleges in Telangana were almost shut down with no intake of students due to non-conduct of the entrance test.
Only a few students are pursuing courses under the management quota at some of the colleges. The government’s inaction was detrimental to the interests of poor students who depend on fee reimbursement by the state which would be available only when the admission was by due course under convener quota, he pointed out. The counsel further submitted that last year a single judge had passed an order on a petition filed by a college management, directing the state government to conduct LPCET within six weeks.
Aggrieved by the same, the government filed a review petition which was also dismissed. Despite the court orders, the government was refusing to conduct LPCET, he said. On the other hand, the government counsel told the judge that the government had moved an appeal against that judgment.Justice Kodanda Ram observed that when there was low demand for the said courses, an alternative system of admissions can be thought of. He asked the government pleader and the petitioners’s counsel to come up with actual rule position in this regard. The judge directed the government to file a counter and adjourned the case by one week.
‘Alternative system for admissions’
Justice Kodanda Ram observed that when there was low demand for the said courses, alternative system of admissions can be thought of.
The government’s inaction was detrimental to the interests of poor students who depend on fee reimbursement by the state NS Arjun Kumar, Petitioners’ counsel