The faces behind admission mess

On July 2, an Express expose revealed how admissions in private medical and engineering colleges had become a pay-money-get-seat bazaar. The...

On July 2, an Express expose revealed how admissions in private medical and engineering colleges had become a pay-money-get-seat bazaar. The same day, an embarrassed government — the three colleges in the expose are run by politicians, two by ministers — announced a probe into the scandal.

So, who’s responsible for this fiasco? Experts point to the Cabinet sub-committee that failed to chalk out fee structures and a roadmap after a Supreme Court judgement in October 2002 freed private colleges from government fee control.

The delay was caused, said Cabinet insiders, by frequent objections from some members of the 14-man team. The ministers argued that the state didn’t need regulatory authorities and must directly implement the SC order and not touch minority institutions.

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These arguments and the delay they caused should not be surprising. The committee was staffed by three ministers who themselves run private educational institutions.

• Patangrao Kadam, Minister for Industries (Congress): Heads the Bharati Vidyapeeth, a deemed university, which runs engineering, medical and management colleges. His clout is so great that four years ago when the Centre accorded deemed university status to the Vidyapeeth, the institution made him lifetime chancellor. Later, the government passed a resolution to award Chancellor of the Vidyapeeth Cabinet rank — meaning, for life.

The government has no explanation why an Industries minister is on a trust that’s supposed to look after student interests. At present, Kadam is touring the US.

• Amrish Patel, School Education minister (Congress): Chairman of Vile Parle Kelvani Mandal, a linguistic-minority institute, which runs engineering and management colleges in Mumbai.
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Asked to comment on the delay in setting up regulatory authorities, Patel simply switched off his cellphone.

• Satish Chaturvedi, Minister for Labour (Congress): Heads Lokmanya Tilak Janakalyan Shikshan Sanstha, a private institution in hometown Nagpur, which runs engineering, pharmacy and medical colleges. Chaturvedi was an invitee to the sub-committee. One of his PAs said the minister was in Shimla for the Congress conclave.

‘‘No wonder the decision was delayed, which worked well in favour of private institutions run by politicians,’’ said Tushar Jagtap, a Mumbai University Senate member.

Chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee, Maharashtra Technical Education Minister Dilip Valse-Patil, defended his colleagues. ‘‘There was no conflict of interest,’’ he told The Indian Express.
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‘‘There were many aspects to be dealt with. So the committee took a long time to come out with its recommendations,’’ he added.