Decision on centralised admission portal to be taken back, says CM

Amritsar, May 4

The proposed anti-government rally by the Joint Action Committee (JAC), comprising of aided colleges managements, principals associations of three state universities, Punjab Chandigarh Colleges Teachers Union (PCCTU) and managements of unaided colleges on May 5 at Jalandhar was called off today following the meeting of a high-level delegation of the JAC with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.

The Chief Minister assured to defer the decision of enforcing the centralised admission portal for admissions in all colleges in Punjab and Chandigarh. The JAC was protesting against the arbitrary implementation of the portal in the college admissions and various other issues confronting higher education for the past many months.

“Following the meeting of our delegation comprising of representatives of various managements, principals association and teachers, the CM assured that the government will not interfere into the admission process of the colleges. The colleges are independent to make their own admissions. It was our major demand that the CM has conceded to,” said JAC chief Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina.

He said the delegation comprised of members of aided federation and PCCTU. The delegation had met Education Minister Harjot Bains and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on May 3. They had assured the delegation that central portal will be deferred and today the delegation met the CM, who positively responded on all issues while deferring the centralised portal,

Chhina said they would now meet the CM on May 16 in Chandigarh. “We hope that other issues will also be resolved amicably,” said federation general secretary SM Sharma.

The JAC had previously announced education bandh on May 5 and to boycott exam duties on the day if the matter was not resolved.