BEd exams: Students protest in Ludhiana against college for not issuing roll numbers

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 6

After they were allegedly not allowed to sit in the BEd examinations, a group of students, including girls and a few visually challenged students, staged a protest against the Malwa Central College of Education for Women, Ludhiana, on Monday.

They were earlier given admission on a “provisional basis” by the college as they had not appeared in the entrance exam for the BEd course.

Expressing anger, the students gathered outside the college and raised slogans against the management and the state government. They said after their getting admission to the college, they attended classes for nearly six months. However, they were not issued roll numbers to appear in the examinations that started today. They demanded that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann must hear their voice and ensure justice.

A protesting student said: “We had not appeared in the entrance exam for the BEd course. However, the college authorities had claimed that the government would allow those students who had not appeared in the entrance exam to appear in the BEd examinations if seats remain vacant, as happens every year. They had asked us to pay fee of Rs 5,000 to get a seat in the BEd course reserved. Once we paid the fee as demanded by the college, we were given admission to the college and allowed to attend classes.

“Identity cards were also issued to us. Our attendance was also marked like those students who got admission through the entrance exam. When we went to get roll numbers, the college authorities claimed that a case is sub judice in a court and roll numbers can’t be issued without the court orders. There are 53 students of our college who were not allowed to sit in the examinations today. We are demanding justice,” the student said.

After getting information, the police also reached the protest site. College staff tried to pacify the protesting students but to no avail. Another student questioned: “Had the government allowed the college to admit students on a provisional basis?”

Meanwhile, the college authorities denied the allegations levelled by the students. Officiating Principal Satwant Kaur said the students were given admissions on a provisional basis as they had not appeared in the entrance exam. After about two rounds of counselling of students who appeared in the entrance exam, the admission process was made open in the past years. It was common since 2012 that a body of colleges moved the High Court and then the government allowed colleges to admit students.

She said this time, the new state government was yet to take a decision on the matter. If the government allows, students would be allowed to sit for exams.

MLA Gurpreet Gogi also visited the college to meet protesting students. However, the matter has not been resolved so far. Earlier also, the students had submitted a memorandum to the administration.