June 3: The state government today made it mandatory for every college to accept all the admission forms submitted by students either directly or through the concerned university. In a circular issued today, it also directed the colleges to make available merit lists and the list of applicants to students on demand at the cost of Rs 5 per list.This follows the May 5 Bombay high court ruling in this regard. The government recently had announced its policy of reducing the weight of school bags and had also pulled up three schools in Thane for collecting donations worth over Rs 2.84 crore. This circular seems to be another step in making school and colleges more accountable. ``The circular brought out by the department of higher and technical education is, to say the least, revolutionary. It gives certain powers to state officials as well as the universities to pull up erring institutes and bring about the much needed transparency in the admission process,'' said a member of Forum For Fairness In Education (FFFIE), Professor Jeetendra Shah.However, there is some confusion amongst college principals on account of an earlier circular (May 28) . ``The circular stated that since the matter of centralised degree college admissions is still pending in the court this year's admission process will be the same as last year's. Now which circular are we to follow? '' asked a principal. Officials, though, insisted that the latest circular will be implemented.STATE DIRECTIVESColleges will have to separately print admission forms and prospectus. These will be serially numbered and also printed with separate price tags. Forms from all candidates will be accepted without any condition, and every candidate will be given a receipt when the form is accepted. If a college refuses to accept the forms then the respective universities will forward the same to the college. The colleges will have to display their merit lists, keeping the government's reservation policy in mind. They will also have to display a list of total number of applicants. Failure to comply with these directives will attract contempt proceedings.
