"Children, Grandchildren All Have To Move Out Of State": Calcutta High Court On Plea Alleging Irregularities In B. Ed. Colleges

The Calcutta High Court expressed exasperation over the numerous allegations of irregularities in public appointments and college admissions in West Bengal. The court was dealing with a public interest litigation alleging irregularities in the admission process to B.Ed. colleges in the state.

A division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya observed:

"Wonderful...school teacher recruitment was rigged, police constable recruitment was rigged, both are subject matter of challenges before Court, now even colleges are before court...at this rate children, grandchildren will all have to move out of the state."

The court was hearing a PIL alleging irregularities in the admission process of B.Ed. colleges, as well as irregularities in the recruitment of teachers to those colleges, under the Babasaheb Ambedkar University.

Petitioners alleged that the colleges would not follow any NCTE guidelines in their functioning, which were mandatory.

According to the allegations, there are 600 to 650 B.ED. colleges under the university, but most did not have adequate infrastructure as per NCTE guidelines.

Despite this, they were admitting students and "extorting" lakhs of rupees in fees from them, allegedly most of which was taken by "middlemen" who would bring the students for admission.

It was stated that the students being admitted to the colleges were facing difficulties in recruitment since the colleges' affiliations were not being renewed.

Petitioners alleged that the Vice-Chancellor was giving approval for these colleges without conducting any checks, and demanded a CBI investigation into the case.

"It cannot be that the vice-chancellor does not know anything. He should be removed from office immediately," the Chief Justice remarked.

Accordingly, the court granted two weeks to the parties for filing their affidavits.

Case: NASIM AKTER VS STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ORS.

Case No: MAT/1059/2022