Mah govt faces flak over college admissions

Mumbai, July 30 (UNI) Members cutting across party lines in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly flayed the ''lackadaisical attitude'' of the state Education department over the problems faced by students in getting admissions to junior colleges, resulting in three adjournments.

The issue was raised through an adjournment notice after the Question Hour. Replying to the discussions, Education Minister Prof Vasant Purke said about 8000 students were still awaiting admissions to junior colleges in different parts of the state. He informed the House that his department was of the view that about 300 to 350 new divisions on grant-basis be permitted to colleges to accomodate the students who have not got admission so far.

''I will move the proposal of my Ministry before the Cabinet which will meet on wednesday and a policy decision would be taken,'' Prof Purke asserted.

But, the BJP and Shiv Sena members were not satisfied with the reply. They said the issue had come up in the House last week and the Deputy Speaker had directed the government to take a decision within eight days, after discussion in the Cabinet, about introducing additional grant-based divisions in junior colleges.

To which Prof Purke said that his department had prepared a detailed note on the status of junior college admissions and the need for action to ensure that none of the students who passed their matriculation examinations are left without admissions to junior colleges. He also agreed that there was a need to set up help centres to guide students for admissions, especially in rural areas.

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