MUMBAI, OCT 18: After a year's lull, the money-spinning coaching class business has successfully baited its 18th victim, with a full-time lecturer of Mittal College of Arts and Commerce at Malad (W) succumbing to the thriving business of education in Mumbai. Narendra Bhambwani, who had taught Accountancy in the college's degree section for nine years, tendered his resignation on October 14, saying he has opted to teach at a coaching class run by his wife at Mira Road as the ``salary paid by the college was too low''.Bhambwani, who is also a qualified chartered accountant, is the first teacher to resign this year in favour of coaching classes. Seven others had resigned in October last year while 10 more sought voluntary retirement following the action initiated by the state government against college teachers suspected of being associated with coaching classes. The salaries of 13 others remain suspended by the college managements, according to Joint Director of Higher Education R R Pardeshi, who also headsthe three-member committee set up by the state government to probe the teacher-coaching classes nexus.Bhambwani's resignation follows a legal battle with the college management, following his refusal to sign an affidavit stating that he was not associated with any coaching class. ``His salary had been stopped since October 1998, as he refused to sign the affidavit as per the order of the deputy secretary, Government of Maharashtra,'' Principal John D'Mello told Express Newsline.He said that in September last year he had received a letter from the office of the joint director, Department of Higher Education, stating that Bhambwani was suspected of being associated with a coaching class in Mira Road and that a signed affidavit should be secured from him. In accordance with the government's directive, signed affidavits had been sought from a list of teachers in various city colleges, stating that they were not associated with any coaching class. Mittal College had sought affidavits from all itsteachers and while all the others had complied, Bhambwani had refused, D'Mello said. Following this, Bhambwani's salary was stopped as per the government's directive, he added.Bhambwani then approached the Bombay High Court in June this year, praying that the college release his wages. Further, the college management had also initiated an inquiry against him as he had remained absent on several occasions and had failed to complete the syllabus on time, Principal D'Mello said. In his petition, the lecturer had also asked that the inquiry against him should be stopped.When the petition came up for hearing, the court directed Bhambwani to submit the affidavit. He did so on September 14, and the college was directed to release his salary. However, the court permitted the college to pursue its inquiry. On October 14, however, Bhambwani tendered his resignation citing personal reasons, D'Mello said.Bhambwani himself told Express Newsline that the salary paid by the college was too low. Further, hesaid, his wife has been running a coaching class since the last two years at Mira Road but claimed that he had not been involved earlier. ``I did not sign the affidavit earlier because the government circular says such affidavits should be taken from `guilty' teachers. these wordings are not correct,'' he said. Now, he says, he will join his wife's coaching class. ``It is also difficult to get lecturers for a coaching class,'' Bhambwani claims, citing this as one of his reasons for resigning.In the meantime, the Forum For Fairness In Education (FFFIE), which has been vigorously campaigning against the teacher-coaching class nexus, has written to Pardeshi forwarding the names of seven school and college teachers allegedly associated with a particular coaching class. According to FFFIE President, Bhagvanji Raiyani, who submitted the list in August, these teachers were gifted a tour to Nepal by the coaching class. A group photograph of taken on the tour was found in the annual souvenir of the coachingclass, he claims.Pardeshi told Express Newsline that he has since written to the principals of the institutions concerned, asking them to ascertain whether their teachers were involved or not. ``Once the principals reply, we shall decide on the course of action,'' he says. His team will also visit the colleges from with which the seven teachers are employed. The forum has also complained to the joint director about 40 more teachers it claims are associated with leading coaching classes.
