Admission of Corruption
Some student leaders take money to coerce GU VC into giving less meritorious students seats in reputed colleges. VC obliges to keep leaders from creating controversies for him
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Tuesday, June 28, 2011 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/201106282011062803092489431dc9bf1/Admission-of--Corruption.html)
Student wing of political parties at Gujarat University are keen on exposing what they allege is VC Parimal Trivedi’s “illegal and corrupt practice”. BJP’s Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad declared Trivedi among the 25 “most corrupt” serving and retired vice-chancellors in the country while Congress’s National Students Union of India launched an anti-corruption campaign to oust him.
However, it is like the pot calling the kettle black, say academicians. For, during admission time, some of these very student leaders coerce the VC into giving seats in reputed colleges to less meritorious students, they explain.
Sudhir Nanavati, Managing Director of GLS College, says: “During admission time, the VC sends a list. It contains names of students who have scored at least 10 per cent less than others on our merit list. All commerce colleges receive a list of around 80 such students and we have to accommodate them. These names are usually recommended by ministers and student leaders.”
Refusing to be named, principal of a reputed college says, “Students on the VC’s list usually are those who secured less marks. Denying admission to them is not wise as we will have to face other consequences. Last year, a list containing 700-800 names was sent to colleges like HL, HA, GLS, Som Lalit, NavGujarat etc.”
About the list, VC Trivedi explains, “The list is made of recommendations by ministers, NSUI and ABVP leaders. The students on the list have secured at least 65 to 70 per cent. Around 500 students, who have scored less marks, gain admission to reputed colleges every year in this manner.”
He added, “It is difficult to define the number of students recommended by each group.”
Meritorious students suffer
Admitting to the corruption, a senior NSUI leader says, “The VC obliges senior student leaders as he does not want them to create controversies for him. These leaders are not directly involved in the admission racket. They get their junior confederates to collect money and marksheets from students with less marks.”
Even ABVP leaders admit that some student leaders recommend names in return for money. “These leaders send marksheets of such students to the VC who in turn includes their names in the list sent to various reputed colleges. Last year, the list contained almost 1,000 names,” said ABVP member Krunal Shah.
He adds, “This practice affects meritorious students. Anticipating the list, colleges keeps seats free, thereby denying them to students who really deserve it. We have demanded an end to this corrupt practice. We have sought transparency in admission process.”
Cancel VC quota
Recently, a petition was filed in Gujarat High Court, alleging that admissions were granted to students whose names do not figure in the merit list. The petitioners — six students who were denied admission to S M Patel Institute of Commerce on GLS campus — demanded that GU implement a centralised admission system to curb corruption in admission process. Advocate Amit Panchal, appearing on behalf of the students, also presented to the court a list of 86 students who gained admission to GLS following VC’s recommendation last year.
The petitioners sought that students be admitted strictly on the basis of the merit list not on first-come-first-served basis. “When the academic council resolved to do away with management quota of commerce colleges, how can the VC who chairs the council meeting be permitted to have a quota of his own?” the petition questioned.
The court has sought explanation from the university and the college and has asked the authorities to reply by July 7, when the further hearing is scheduled.
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Tuesday, June 28, 2011 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/201106282011062803092489431dc9bf1/Admission-of--Corruption.html)
Student wing of political parties at Gujarat University are keen on exposing what they allege is VC Parimal Trivedi’s “illegal and corrupt practice”. BJP’s Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad declared Trivedi among the 25 “most corrupt” serving and retired vice-chancellors in the country while Congress’s National Students Union of India launched an anti-corruption campaign to oust him.
However, it is like the pot calling the kettle black, say academicians. For, during admission time, some of these very student leaders coerce the VC into giving seats in reputed colleges to less meritorious students, they explain.
Sudhir Nanavati, Managing Director of GLS College, says: “During admission time, the VC sends a list. It contains names of students who have scored at least 10 per cent less than others on our merit list. All commerce colleges receive a list of around 80 such students and we have to accommodate them. These names are usually recommended by ministers and student leaders.”
Refusing to be named, principal of a reputed college says, “Students on the VC’s list usually are those who secured less marks. Denying admission to them is not wise as we will have to face other consequences. Last year, a list containing 700-800 names was sent to colleges like HL, HA, GLS, Som Lalit, NavGujarat etc.”
About the list, VC Trivedi explains, “The list is made of recommendations by ministers, NSUI and ABVP leaders. The students on the list have secured at least 65 to 70 per cent. Around 500 students, who have scored less marks, gain admission to reputed colleges every year in this manner.”
He added, “It is difficult to define the number of students recommended by each group.”
Meritorious students suffer
Admitting to the corruption, a senior NSUI leader says, “The VC obliges senior student leaders as he does not want them to create controversies for him. These leaders are not directly involved in the admission racket. They get their junior confederates to collect money and marksheets from students with less marks.”
Even ABVP leaders admit that some student leaders recommend names in return for money. “These leaders send marksheets of such students to the VC who in turn includes their names in the list sent to various reputed colleges. Last year, the list contained almost 1,000 names,” said ABVP member Krunal Shah.
He adds, “This practice affects meritorious students. Anticipating the list, colleges keeps seats free, thereby denying them to students who really deserve it. We have demanded an end to this corrupt practice. We have sought transparency in admission process.”
Cancel VC quota
Recently, a petition was filed in Gujarat High Court, alleging that admissions were granted to students whose names do not figure in the merit list. The petitioners — six students who were denied admission to S M Patel Institute of Commerce on GLS campus — demanded that GU implement a centralised admission system to curb corruption in admission process. Advocate Amit Panchal, appearing on behalf of the students, also presented to the court a list of 86 students who gained admission to GLS following VC’s recommendation last year.
The petitioners sought that students be admitted strictly on the basis of the merit list not on first-come-first-served basis. “When the academic council resolved to do away with management quota of commerce colleges, how can the VC who chairs the council meeting be permitted to have a quota of his own?” the petition questioned.
The court has sought explanation from the university and the college and has asked the authorities to reply by July 7, when the further hearing is scheduled.
