Distance-learning or full-time; IIPM students confused

The course is a two-year Post Graduate Programme in Planning and Entrepreneurship run by IIPM since August 2010. Some students claim when they had taken admission,they had been told they were registering for a full-time course affiliated with MS University.

Ashesha Jindal,a student,said,“When we joined,we did it for brand value. If we had to do a distance course,we could have done it from any other university. Why pay almost four and a half lakh for a course not even full-time?”

The students have paid Rs 3.5 lakh in six months. Many are in a fix. Sheikh Navid,another student,said,“Back in Aurangabad,I had a shop. I sold it to pay the fee of the institute. I have no clue what I am going to do now.”

Some of the students lost their cool when they asked the Pune administrative head of IIPM,S Dutta Gupta,to clarify the matter.

“When we asked him to clarify if the course was full-time or a distance-learning one,he said they were confused about the course. We told him many of us had taken loans to pay the fees…,” said Kamlesh Bhagatkar,a student. The students are demanding the fee and their original documents back.

However,they haven’t filed any police complaint. When Gupta’s comment was sought,he said,“Our all India Dean-academics,Professor Prasoon Majumdar will be coming to Pune on Monday to clarify all doubts of students. I cannot comment on anything until then.” The students said they had not filed an FIR as they are waiting for the all dean to come and give a clarification.

Dnyaneshwar Phadtare,deputy commissioner of police (Zone I) said,“A case will be registered only after the group of students register a complaint. The matter is at the primary inquiry stage and the students have not lodged a case. We will do the needful when they approach us for that.”