HYDERABAD: Expressing displeasure over the authorities failing to take action against the educational institutions that are running contrary to the norms laid down by the State government, a division bench of the Telangana High Court on Monday directed the Secretary of Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) to file a comprehensive report with concrete evidence informing the court about the action taken against unaffiliated colleges belonging to Sri Chaitanya and Narayana educational institutions.
“It seems that the State is hand in glove with the managements of these colleges. You (TSBIE) are permitting unaffiliated colleges to function in Telangana in violation of rules. This action will not only jeopardise the career of the students, but harm the society as the degrees given by such colleges are not valid in the eye of law. How can the State continue to commit an illegality, that too with the future of our own children?” the bench asked.
TSBIE report on colleges mere eyewash, says HC
The bench was passing the order in a PIL filed by D Rajesh, a social worker from Medchal district, seeking direction to the State government to conduct an enquiry into the alleged irregularities of Sri Chaitanya and Narayana educational institutions in running their colleges against the norms. The petitioner complained that the college managements have colluded with the officials concerned in running Intermediate colleges as per their whims and fancies. The erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh government and the present Telangana government have accorded permissions to both these institutions to set up 45 and 46 Intermediate colleges respectively in the State despite lack of basic infrastructure.
The special counsel for Telangana, A Sanjeev Kumar, told the court that the board had received 71 applications from Sri Chaitanya, of which 49 were granted affiliation, while 22 have been pending. Similarly, about 79 applications were received from Narayana, of which 46 were granted affiliation and 33 have been pending.
Conditional affiliation was given to those colleges that do not have ‘no objection certificate’ from the Fire Services Department by taking an undertaking that they would shift their colleges to some other buildings. Besides, penal action was taken against the colleges that violated the rules by slapping huge fines, he added. He urged the court to have a lenient view on the issue and to grant four weeks’ time to enable the board to issue notices to the colleges that do not have the NOC and affiliation keeping in view the ensuing Inter examinations in March.
Not satisfied with the submissions, the bench termed the contentions of the special counsel a ‘mere eye wash’. “A mere slapping of huge fines will not convert an illegality into a legality as the State itself is permitting unaffiliated colleges to function in violation of rules. When the degrees of such colleges are not valid, where will the students get admissions to pursue higher education?”
After perusing the report filed by TSBIE Secretary, the bench said the report reveals that about 20,000 students are studying in unaffiliated colleges. “Besides penal action, what steps have been taken to shut down such unauthorised colleges?” the bench asked adding that the government’s stand on the issue was not proper. As per the Supreme Court directions, any college that functions in utter violation of law has to pay `10 lakh compensation to the students for jeopardising their career, the bench noted.
While adjourning the case, the bench directed the TSBIE Secretary to file a detailed report informing the court of the steps taken against all the unaffiliated Intermediate colleges run by Sri Chaitanya and Narayana institutions, the list of the colleges without NOC and related details. The bench posted the matter to February 27 for further hearing.