Ex-students take RTI help to save colleges

In an effort to stop their alma mater from shutting shop, two former students of Chinai College, Andheri, have filed a Right to Information (RTI) with the school education department at Charni Road.

However, Ravi Shukla and Shailesh Upadhaya are yet to receive any reply for the petition filed on June 5 despite the urgency of the matter.

Two colleges, MVLU College and Chinai College, run by the Laxmi Education Trust, were ordered to furnish the education department with all the details regarding seats and courses offered in the junior college section by the Bombay High Court on May 29. ‘

However, the trust replied to the order on June 1 claiming that the colleges
was closed in 2008 and there are no seats in the junior college for the online admission process.

“We wanted to know what actions have been taken by the education department against the college for not following the court order. It’s been two months since we filed the RTI, but the department has not provided us with any details,” said Shukla, whose father has been in the forefront in the protest against the closure of the colleges.

When questioned, NB Chavan, assistant director, school education department, said, “The RTI is ready but we have to show it to VK Wankhede, deputy director, before giving to the applicants,” he said.

The education department has slapped a contempt of court notice against the erring colleges for not adhering to the court order. “The case is coming for hearing within two weeks. However, by the time the issue is resolved, junior college admissions will be over,” said Chavan.

For more than ten years, Laxmi Education Trust has been trying to close down the colleges. The court’s decision was hailed as a victory by staff and the students but the triumph was short-lived as the college has not budged from its stand.