HC puts brake on mushrooming growth of D Ed, B Ed colleges

Mumbai, Sep 12 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today put brakes on the mushrooming growth of D Ed and B Ed colleges in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa, by refusing to stay a Central order that has put on hold all new colleges in these states.

A division bench comprising Justice S B Mhase and Justice D G Karnik admitted a petition filed by Association of Managements of D Ed and B Ed colleges in Maharashtra, but refused, in clear terms, any interim relief to the upcoming institutions in the state.

The petition sought to challenge Centre's August 23 order that had put on hold permission to all new D Ed and B Ed colleges as well as enhancement in strength of any existing colleges in these three states. The Union government has also appointed a one-man committee to look into all recent permissions accorded by the Bhopal chapter of National Council of Teachers Education (NCTE) when it found that all the three states have recorded 33 per cent growth in number of teachers colleges last year.

Senior Counsel C J Sawant, appearing on behalf of the petitioner Association, vehemently argued against the order saying the prospective institutions have invested crores of rupees in their establishments. He also requested the court to grant stay on the order, otherwise the institutions will have to lose at least one academic year as the last date for D Ed and B Ed colleges was September 31.

But, Solicitor General Rajendra Raghuvanshi objected to their demand contending that the centre has not rejected their applications and the petition was premature.

UNI