AMRITSAR/LUDHIANA:Close on the heels of Private Colleges in the state saying no to the state government’s undertaking on SC Scholarships, the Non-Govt. Colleges Managements Federation (NGCMF) too has announced reservations to sign such a pact. They rather appeal the state government to reimburse the total pending grants relating to the Post Matric Scholarship for SC students who have passed out from 137 aided-colleges in the state.
The decision was taken during an emergent meeting convened under the Chairmanship of Coordination Committee of the NGCMF Mr. Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina at GN Khalsa College for Women, Ludhiana. The Committee unanimously announced that none of their 137 Colleges will give such an undertaking as desired by the state government.
The other issues including pending DPI grants, appointing representative to Managing Committees of the Colleges by the DPI were also discussed in the meeting. The Punjab government had recently issued orders to pay only 40 per cent of the Rs. 200 crore arrears of educational institutions against the scholarship scheme for the period 2017-18 to 2019-20.
Even this 40 per cent is to be paid in six quarterly installments and would never release the rest of the 60 per cent. ``This is highly deplorable. How can Colleges survive? The government is going away from its commitments to pay SC Scholarships grants”, said Chhina adding that they would fight the circulars issued by the Social Welfare Department tooth and nail.
The order mentions that Colleges will be giving a mandatory undertaking that they would never seek the remaining 60 percent amount neither from the state government nor from the students. ``Our Federation has decided not to sign any such undertaking sought by the state government”, said he adding that the decision has been conveyed to the government and the state must consider Colleges’ demands of immediate release of the funds. NGCMF general secretary Gurvinder Singh Sarna also said that the undertaking was never discussed at any of their meetings with the Ministers and other government representatives and the Centre government has already issued directions to release such an amount.
Former Vice Chancellor of GNDU, Amritsar, Dr.SP Singh who is a Member of the Committee opined that the state government has also recommended that private educational institutions would not withhold roll numbers, certificates or degrees of such students, would make no claims and would take back pending Court. ``How can Colleges give such an undertaking when their dues are not being cleared fully. This is arbitrary”, said he.