Srinagar, July 10: At a time when JK students are still unaware about Government of India’s special scholarship scheme for them, some unscrupulous universities and colleges are already out to lure students for admissions under the garb of this scheme.
 While guidelines for the scheme clearly mentioned the names of institutes covered, the entry of uncovered universities and colleges has raised question mark over the execution of the scheme by the state government.
 Greater Kashmir in its July 9 edition carried a story about institutes attracting JK students for admission under Ministry of Human Resource Development’s special scholarship scheme in which the aspirants expressed doubt about the formalities laid down by the institutes. Some colleges are asking for affidavits and security deposits ranging from Rs 20,000 to 30,000 before granting admissions.
 Though the guidelines set by HRD ministry, posted on www.jkhighereducation.in, clearly said the scheme envisages every kind of fees and eligible students have not to bear any expenses, but the demand of money by the institutes puts them in the dock.
 “If these institutes are not incorporated in the MHRD list annexed in the guidelines, how are they entitled to carry out admissions under the scheme,” asked a group of aspirants.
 Several aspirants claimed that they were approached by people offering help with the admission process. “People in swanky cars came to the counseling venue and told us that they could expedite the admission process, irrespective of whether our names were on the cut-off list. They asked for our certificates and copies of the admission form and a security deposit,” said Zubair, an aspirant.
 Presently, the institutes holding counseling sessions to attract students in Kashmir are Apex Group of Institutes, IIMT College, Sharda University, Pune University, Swami Vivekananda Subharti University, Samalkha Group of Institutes and Skyline Institute of Technology. However, none of them are incorporated in the list by MHRD.
 While representatives from these institutes said they had already applied for their inclusion in the list of approved colleges four months ago, the admission letters sent to students by the colleges clearly notified that incase the scholarship does not mature, they (students) would be responsible for the payment to the institute.
 “…your fee is expected to be paid by the Government. However, please note ultimately you will be responsible for the payment of the fee to the institute,” reads an admission letter of one of the institutes.
 Founder Director of Apex Group of Institutes Pune, Prof Sheikh Sultan, who is on a visit to Valley to attract JK youth for admission in their colleges, said they did not have any intension to cheat JK students. “In fact we have applied with the MHRD for our inclusion in the list of approved colleges. Since it takes some time to mature till then we are asking aspirants to make a payment in shape of a Demand Draft,” Prof Sultan said.
 He said they had been invited by an NGO, People’s Forum, to hold counseling session here. “We are here to promote awareness about the scheme and guide students for admissions.”
 Talking to this newspaper, a member of Kashmir Center for Social and Developmental Studies, Shakeel Qalander said the state government had miserably failed to aware people about the scheme. “The onus of awareness lies with the state government through its Higher Education Department but they have failed,” he said.
 Qalander, who was a member in the expert group of Rangarajan Committee that recommended reservation for JK students in different colleges outside the State, said the government was supposed to facilitate coaching classes for the students availing admission in professional colleges. “They neither did that (facilitate coaching) nor appointed any nodal agency to execute the scheme in the state. That is why confusion still prevails,” he said.
 When contacted, Minister for Higher Education, AG Malik said he was not aware about the activities by these colleges in the Valley. “I had empowered an NGO, People’s Forum, to raise the awareness. I trust its credentials however I will look into the activities of the colleges,” he said.
 When asked about the unrecognized and un-approved colleges luring students, the minister said he will look into the matter.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 10 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 10 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST