Probe demanded into UGC affiliations certain colleges

Dr Amarjit Singh Dhillon, president of the forum releasing the proceedings of the meeting here today, alleged that these collegs include two colleges of management and technology in rented portions of buildings in shopping centres of Patiala city, owned by six of two senior functionaries of the university, Dr Balkar Singh, dean of college and Dr B. S. Bhatia, dean of academic affairs. One college belongs to an owner of a vernacular newspaper and is located in a portion of a school in Thikriwala Nagar. He said two colleges of the same category had also been opened in rented buildings in Mohali and another college in an improvised structure of SSD Girls College, Bathinda. Two colleges offering graduate medical courses in homeopathy, have also been given affiliation during 1998. One is functioning from a shop-cum-plot in Mohali and the other in a deserted old residence in Lehal Colony. All these colleges fetch huge amounts of money, he alleged.

The forum noted that none of these colleges had qualified staff.In fact, one of these colleges was headed by a retired school principal.

The forum, Dr Dhillon said strongly felt that it is the duty of the UGC to safeguard and protect the standard of higher education in the country and not allow opening of sub-standard colleges imparting sub-standard education.