Edu regulator scraps MoU with Zirakpur group of institutes, imposes Rs 34L penalty

Shimla, December 1

The Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission (HPPEIRC) has struck down a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the NCFSE Group of Institutions, Zirakpur, and 17 colleges, schools, institutes of the state for the Nursery Teacher Training (NTT) course.

In the order issued yesterday, the commission also declared that diplomas/ certificates issued by any of these institutes as invalid being in violation of the regulations of the National Council for Teacher Education.

“We have also asked the Director, Elementary Education, to initiate criminal proceedings against the institutes by filing an FIR in the matter,” said HPPEIRC Chairman Major Gen Atul Kaushik (retd). “Also a penalty of Rs 34 lakh has been imposed on the institutes for violating admission norms,” he added.

The commission directed the institutes to refund the fee collected from the students of diploma in Nursery Teacher Training (2-years) and Nursery Teachers Training Programme (one-year) with 9 per cent interest per annum.

The HPPEIRC was probing the legality of the NCFSE Group of Institutions providing NTT courses through 17 institutions in the state over the last three months. The commission had received complaints that the institutions had started NTT courses without taking permission from any of the state’s boards and departments concerned.

The commission further observed that the group had entered into an agreement with several educational institutions in Himachal, Punjab and Haryana on the basis of an MoU signed with the MSME Technology Development Centre, Meerut, an organisation under the MSME Ministry.

“There’s a valid MoU between the MSME Meerut and the NCFSE Group of Institutions. However, the MSME Meerut gives job-oriented training in sports goods. The NTT programme is the prerogative of the National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE). Neither has it sought permission from the NCTE, nor from any authority concerned in the state,” said Kaushik.

He said more clarity was required on the education training programme conducted by the central regulatory authorities like the AICTE, the UGC, the NCET, the NIMS and the skill-oriented course being conducted under the skill centre council and the MSME. “The case will have implications beyond the state as the NCFSE Group of Institutions has signed MoUs with several institutions in Punjab and Haryana as well,” he said.

To move high court against decision

• The NCFSE Group of Institutions, Zirakpur, will challenge the HPPEIRC decision in the Himachal High Court.
• The group says the order has tarnished its image and that of authorised centres running NTT programmes
• Besides, the order challengs rights of the Union Government