Fiasco at SP College: 'Admissions promised by principal were illegal'

The management of Tilak Road’s Sir Parshurambhau College has asked principal Dilip Sheth to step down from his post. They clarified that the row over additional admissions of 96 students in standard XI of SP College have forced them to take this step as admissions promised by Sheth were illegal. Though Sheth has tendered his resignation which has been accepted by the college management on Wednesday, the future of 96 students lies uncertain.

The college premises witnessed uproar as the parents of 96 students and leaders from various students’ association protested in front of assistant director (education) Balasaheb Ovhal and his staff, who had come to inspect the admission forms of 96 students.

Protesters demanded that the college should allow the students to attend classes from Friday. Ovhal, who visited the college on the orders of deputy director (education) Suman Shinde, clarified that all these admissions were illegal.

Principal took unilateral decision
The college management has put all the blame on Sheth. They said that despite the opposition from management and teachers, he went ahead and gave false assurance to students and their parents regarding the admissions.

“We have already made our stand clear and wrote a letter to deputy director (education) Suman Shinde that since we do not have adequate infrastructure and teacher strength to accommodate these students, the admissions of extra students should be cancelled,” said college vice principal Sunanda Dange. She said that Sheth was asked to resign for giving false promises to students.

Parents vent ire, hold protest on campus
Parents and leaders from various students’ organisations, who protested in front of assistant director (education) Ovhal and vice principal Dange, threatened to hold more demonstrations if the 96 students are not accepted and demanded a written assurance from the college and education director. The leaders from students’ association even locked Ovhal, his staff and some journalists inside the vice principal’s room and they were let out only after Vishrambaug police station officers arrived.

Deadlock continues between staff, parents
The meeting between SP Mandali vice president Anant Mate, college vice principal Sunanda Dange, assistant director (education) Balasaheb Ovhal and some leaders from students’ association continued till late evening as no amicable solution could be reached.

We paid fees, claim parents and students
Many parents and students showed receipts of payment of fees and said that Sheth on Tuesday had asked them to do so and even division was allotted to students.
“As per his instructions, we paid the fees and also filled the admission forms and today we have come to know that the management has asked Sheth to resign. We demand all students should be taken in and Sheth should be reinstated,” an aggrieved parent said.

Dy director (education) to conduct audit
“We have come to know that out of the 96 students, there are several students who had got admission in other colleges through centralized admission process (CAP). However, they have approached SP College and the principal had promised them admissions. We would seize all the leaving certificates, registers and the admission forms of these students to check where these students had got the admission through CAP,” said Ovhal, adding that it is October and how can students be allowed to take admissions. Calling the move as illegal, he said, “If colleges continue to give such admissions, the idea of having CAP itself is contradicted through such illegal admissions.”

Sheth unavailable for comment
When dna tried to contact Sheth after he tendered the resignation, he was unreachable on the phone and was not even spotted on the college premises. The president and members of the management too were absent when the entire drama was unfolding.

The history
SP College after giving admissions for class XI through CAP did not approach deputy director (education) officer Suman Shinde to get an extra 10% admission when the government had asked colleges to send proposals in August. However, in September, the college started assuring students of giving admissions. The college bypassed the deputy director’s office and approached deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and managed to get permission to give admission to 80 students. However, Shinde took objection and termed all admissions as illegal. As per her office, the decision to allow SP to accept 80 more admissions should be taken after keeping her office in the loop, and it was not followed.