Taking cognisance of MiD DAY's report on clandestine admission of class XI students in SP College ('Midterm exams just days away, but backdoor admissions still on at SP College'), deputy director of education Suman Shinde, who is chairperson of centralised admission procedure (CAP) of class XI, made it clear that the institute has not taken permission of her office and the principal would face action in the coming days.
On the other hand, in an attempt to legalise around 80 STD XI admissions held yesterday, principal Dr Dilip Sheth, bypassing Shinde, has managed to produce a letter (dated October 4) of state’s education secretary J S Saharia, granting authorisation to enrol 80 students.
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However, it is noteworthy that the principal is the only person pressing for the ongoing admissions, as SP College management is not in support of the move.
“The principal is brandishing the special permission letter given by the state education secretary on October 4. However, just yesterday I have received a letter from the college management saying that the institute doesn’t have adequate infrastructure to accommodate additional students, and so the management is not in favour of these further admissions,” Shinde said.
When probed on this point, Sheth said, “The management’s stand is that the college does not have the capacity to accommodate the additional 10 per cent students, which comes to around 144. That’s why we are admitting only 80 students.”
Meanwhile, yesterday when reporters approached the principal in his cabin, the so-called student activists, who are behind these ongoing admissions, interrupted the discussion, leading to a wrangle.
“The principal has no choice but to accommodate all these students, who have been waiting for the last three months based on assurances given by him. Now he can’t back out,” revealed an admission agent on condition of anonymity.
Asked what the ‘rate’ was for securing admission, he said, “It depends: for Science stream the amount is between Rs 30,000 and Rs 50,000. Commerce admissions also require the same. However, the rate for Arts stream is relatively low.”
Incidentally, in the morning, assistant director of education Balasaheb Owhal had called the principal and advised him not to admit students going out of his way.
BJP Corporator Dhananjay Jadhav, who was among the activists and is in support of ongoing admissions, said, “When the college has directly received permission from state government, how can deputy director Shinde object to these additional admissions? If tomorrow she cancels the admissions, we will protest against her.”u00a0
Handwritten admission forms!
In yet another dubious move, while allotting admissions to around 80 students in Class XI on Tuesday, SP College distributed handwritten admission forms, without official printed logo of the college’s name. Sources say, if these admission get cancelled, parents will have no evidence that they have filed admission forms