Srinagar, Dec 27: The High Court on Tuesday asked Government to file objections to petitions for not considering certificates of candidates who had secured degrees from Ponnaiyah Ramajayam Institute of Science and Technology (PRIST) Tamil Nadu.
 “The respondents (Government, SSB and others ) who have not filed objections so far are directed to file objections within three weeks and the case be listed on February 2 for next hearing,” single bench of Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir said. 
 The Court issued directions after clubbing all 31 petitions seeking directions to the government and the Services Selection Board (SSB) for considering degrees issued by the PRIST University for selections against government vacancies.
 The SSB rejected certificates of PRIST University saying degree issued through distance mode are not genuine and acceptable.
 “PRIST University cannot impart education through distance mode outside the State of Tamil Nadu, where the university is located,” counsel for SSRB, Shabir Ahmad told Greater Kashmir.
 “Some of the candidates, who obtained certificates from the University, are government employees. Their attendance in the departments where they work and the session during which they got the certificates run concurrent. It raises apprehensions that the certificates have been managed by the candidates by underhand means,” he said.
 The Additional Advocate General, Shabir Ahmad Naik said a public notice issued by the University Grants Commission on December 26, 2011 has notified only 101 Universities which are competent to award degrees as specified by the UGC under section 22 of the UGC Act.
 “It is also informed by the UGC public notice that private universities cannot affiliate an institution or College. They cannot establish off campus center. But they can establish off campus centers within the state with some riders and approval of the University Grants Commission,” Naik said.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:00:00 IST