Chief Secretary to inquire into lapses: CM

Thiruvananthapuram, June 29 : Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today said that the Chief Secretary would inquire into the lapses on the part of officials in informing the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions about the government's stand on granting minority status to six self-finacning professional colleges in the state.

Replying to a point of order raised by Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy on the issue, he told the State Assembly that appropriate action would be taken against the officials on the basis of the Chief Secretary's probe.

Education Minister M A Baby admitted that there had been lapses on the part of the officials in communicating the government's request for one month's time to finalise its stand on the issue prior to the Commission decided to grant minority status to the institutions.

The communication had not reached the Commission before its June 20 sitting at which it took the decision. There had been lapses on the part of the officials and the Chief Secretary's probe would find out those responsible for that.

Mr Baby said the government had also written to the Union Human Resources Minister requesting him to quash the decision of the Commission as it was taken without hearing its views.

He said the bill on professional colleges, now under consideration of the Assembly, contained specific norms on granting minority status to self-financing educational institutions. Once the bill was passed all ambiguities on the issue would be removed.

Earlier, Mr Chandy said the government had not made any request to the Commission to reconsider its decision or made an appeal to the Union Government to use its powers for reversing the Commission's decision.

UNI