Delay in counseling: B.Ed students, colleges left in the lurch

FATEHGARH SAHIB: The delay on the part of Punjab government to take decision for the fourth leg of counseling for admission into B.Ed colleges in the state has left the college managements and hundreds of students in lurch.

According to reports about 670 seats are still lying vacant in 150 B.Ed colleges in the state. The students who have cleared the entrance test taken by Punjab University have been waiting for admission, even as academic session had begun in September last.

About fifty colleges in the state may also loose their affiliation if they failed to appoint regular principals by November 14, sources said. The Federation of Associations of Principals of  non-Government Affiliated Colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh has castigated the state government for the 'casual and indifferent approach' for filling  B.Ed. seats and granting affiliation to colleges. Punjab government however shifts the onus to universities and B.Ed college managements for delay in the fourth counseling.

Narinderjit Singh Principal Secretary higher education, Punjab said that certain B.Ed college managements had approached Punjab and Haryana High Court to consider them for counseling though they do not have affiliation with the respective universities. He said that universities are also
contesting in the court against plea made by colleges.

He said that High Court had fixed November 7, next date of hearing. He said that next date of counseling could only be fixed after high court decision. He said that any decision in this regard would be taken by coordinator of entrance examination i.e. Punjab university.

Interestingly, high court has not granted any stay on starting fourth counseling for the admission into B.Ed colleges.

It is learnt that Punjab University Chandigarh, Punjab University Patiala and Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar have denied affiliation to over 50 colleges for their failure to appoint regular principals in B.Ed colleges. The college authorities have approached Punjab government seeking its interference in the matter.

The college authorities in a representation made to Principal Secretary education have stated that candidates for principal with required qualification of Ph.D in education.

Education secretary said that age bar of 60 years for principal has already been extended to 65. He said that the issue of granting affiliation or not was responsibility of universities. He said that under the rules if colleges failed to comply with appointment of regular principals by November 14, their affiliation would be cancelled or they have to pay the prescribed fine.

Punjabi University, Patiala has already circulated a letter to all the B.Ed colleges affiliated to the university and warned to impose heavy penalties if the stipulated condition would not be fulfilled till November 14.

Dr Gurmohan Singh Walia, president of the Federation of Associations of Principals of Non-Government Affiliated Colleges of Punjab and Chandigarh said that university has directed to appoint regular Principals before November 14, and if this condition is not fulfilled, the colleges will have to pay Rs 50,000 fine every month to the university.  He said as per letter, the appointment of qualified teaching staff in which minimum 4 posts would be filled with regular teachers and the balance even on ad hoc basis in 100 seats B.Ed College. If a post falls vacant during this session, it will have to fill within one month.

If the above decision is not carried out by the Colleges/Managements the same will have to pay Rs.25,000 per month per teacher  as fine and from the session 2007-08 all lecturers will have to be appointed on regular basis.  The other decision in the letter related with launching of website for all the B.Ed. colleges up to November 14, 2006 falling, which the college will have to pay Rs 2 lakh as fine.
 
Dr Walia strongly condemned the introduction of so called  ' fine culture' being introduced in Higher Education by the State and the universities.  Dr Walia said that the National Council of Technical Education (N.C.T.E) has already given relaxation for such appointments up to the year 2009, so that the candidates may obtain the requisite professional degrees for appointment in Education Colleges. He said Punjab government was showing undue haste to implement the NCTE guidelines.

He said that it was warned in the letter that a huge fine of Rs.25,000  per teacher if the B.Ed. colleges didn't have four duly qualified  regular teachers on its staff but on the other hand there are about 50 government colleges in the state  (including four Education Colleges) having a sanctioned strength of 2,060 vacancies for regular lecturers.  He said at the moment there are only 1,100 regular lecturers as no recruitment has taken place for the last 8 to 10 years.  There are about 960 (about 45 per cent) vacant posts of lecturers in all colleges including B.Ed. Colleges.

Dr Walia appealed to the state government   to immediately withdraw this Un-academic decision of imposing heavy penalties on B. Ed Colleges.  He also urges the Universities to withhold the implementation of this decision as it will have long time adverse implications for the colleges.