Damning report fails to check coaching classes

The Deputy Director, M R Deshmukh, set up a special committee in April 1997, of which he is the ex-officio chairperson, to bar lecturers from participating in private tutorials.

A list of 57 lecturers enrolled in colleges in various divisions and violating the service rules was prepared and submitted to Deshmukh, who told The Indian Express he had directed the respective colleges to bar these teachers from any work related to the SSC and HSC examinations. They could also take any other appropriate action they deemed fit.

Two lecturers who ran private tutorials – P K Joshi of Vasantrao Naik College(Aurangabad) and A P Narhare of Rajarshee Shahu College (Latur) – were dismissed. But the matter ended there.

Interestingly, 13 of the 57 lecturers are enrolled with Deogiri College, (Aurangabad). Moreover, three of them were caught red-handed at the premises of their coaching classes by members of the All India Students’ Federation on July 8, 1998. They are: K R Suryavanshi, R K Motinge and V V Pohnerkar.

Deshmukh told The Indian Express that his role ends with recommending action to college managements, who in their capacity as employers are solely empowered to take action against erring lecturers after holding an inquiry.

Now that the coaching class controversy has become a matter of public debate, educationists here hope the director of education, (Mumbai) will exercise the special powers conferred on him by the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Condition of Services) Rule, 1981, and initiate action if college managements do not take the initiative.

Deshmukh, meanwhile, met withprincipals here on Tuesday to elicit their views on the coaching class controversy. Manoram Sharma, principal of the Women’s College here, feels a code of conduct should be formulated for teachers.

"But without the help of parents and social workers not much headway can be made. It is surprising how the very parents, who create a hue and cry at the slightest hike in fees, happily pay thousands of rupees to private coaching classes," Sharma said.

Deshmukh himself says one way to stop students from attending private tutorials is to build confidence between students and teachers and the institutions and parents. Once parents are convinced that colleges are serious about imparting an education, they will begin to put pressure on their wards to attend lectures, he says.