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High court fines college for 'illegal' admission [Bhubaneswar] [Times of India](Times of India Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) CUTTACK: The Orissa high court has directed Berhampur-based National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) to pay Rs 10 lakh as fine to the state government for admitting students without permission. On April 16, a division bench of Chief Justice A K Goel and Justice A K Rath gave the direction after hearing petitions filed by seven students, who were provided provisional admission at NIST in 2012 in 'non-reporting' seats. Non-reporting seats are those for which students are selected, but do not take admission during OJEE counselling. The students moved the court last year, seeking justice after state government disapproved of their admission. According to Odisha Professional Educational Institutions Act 2007, private engineering colleges can absorb students only through OJEE counselling. But NIST authorities violated the norm and admitted students in the non-reporting seats, the petitions said. "This is an important judgment as for the first time a private engineering college in the state was fined for illegal admission. The court verdict will help put a check on malpractices done by private colleges," said counsel of OJEE Subir Palit. The court observed, "A college, which violates the statutory provisions of 2007 Act and admits students illegally outside counselling, has to be dealt with a stern hand. Admitting students at college level is nothing but for illegal motive. The same is a breeding ground for corruption and feeding source of indiscipline." The amount must be deposited with government within a month, the court ruled. The court provided relief to the students by regularizing their admission. "We have held that the appellants have not taken admission in the college through OJEE. Thus, their admissions are invalid. But keeping in mind the future of the students, we take a lenient view and direct BPUT to regularize their admission and issue them registration numbers," the court said. It ordered unless the money is deposited, BPUT shall not regularize admission of the students. (c) 2014 Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited |