Karnataka Government flouted SC direction: SFI

Students' Federation of India (SFI) has said that the Supreme Court had directed about five years ago that a committee be formed at the district level, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, to stop private and aided institutions from collecting donations or school development fees. However, this had not been done in any district.

Talking to presspersons N. Anantha Naika, secretary of the State unit of SFI, and K.L. Bhat, district convener of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), said that the Supreme Court had given a direction in 2005 to form the committees with MLAs, parents, student leaders and principals of all colleges. It had directed that such committees meet periodically, particularly during the beginning of the academic year, to ensure that parents were not exploited.

SFI planned to move Supreme Court against the district administration. Mr. Naika said that many institutions collected huge sums from parents as donation. The stigma attached to government colleges that coaching there was average prompted most parents to admit their children in private institutions, he said.

Fee increase
SFI criticised the Government for increasing admission fees for first and second year PU by about 40 per cent. Earlier, the fees for first PU was Rs. 1,265, which has been increased to Rs. 1,815. The second PU fees has been increased to Rs. 2,130 from Rs. 1,490.

It condemned the Government for increasing the bus pass rate by Rs. 100 saying that the Transport Minister had promised about three months ago that he would not effect an increase for another three years. SFI had organised a State-level educational conference at Devangare on June 25 and 26, and over 400 student delegates and education experts from various parts of the State will take part in it.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)