No relief for Narsee Monjee students who got admission by unfair means

The Bombay High Court denied relief Sunday to 14 of 43 second-year students expelled by Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies NMIMS,Vile Parle,for allegedly securing admission through unfair means

The Bombay High Court denied relief Sunday to 14 of 43 second-year students expelled by Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies NMIMS,Vile Parle,for allegedly securing admission through unfair means.

The 14 students had petitioned HC to allow them to take a trimester exam starting Monday.

However,Justices S J Vazifdar and M S Sonak said the students cannot appear for the exam until a final decision favouring them was made.

The students said they took admission to a two-year MBA course at NMIMS in 2012 with the help of career counselling agency Career Guardian. The agency allegedly told them they need not take NMIMS Management Aptitude Test NMAT and would get admission under management quota on profile scores.

After submitting profiles,including marksheets and certificates,they were called for group discussions,personal interviews and shortlisted for admission. The students claimed they were attending regular lectures and also took six exams in the first year.

On June 24,the college asked them to report to the admission department. On July 8,they received notices asking to show cause why their admissions should not be cancelled. The case will be heard again on August 20.

The students replied that they never appeared for NMAT and got admission through the career agency. Initially,the judges were of the opinion that the students be allowed to appear for the exam but their results and marksheets be sealed till a final order is passed, said senior counsel V A Thorat,appearing for NMIMS.

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However their admission has been cancelled and we cannot allow them to appear for the exam. We told the court if the students win the case,we will conduct a re-exam.

Around 87 candidates allegedly used dummy candidates in NMAT,a national-level exam held in March,and secured admissions. An investigation revealed students from previous years also got into the institute using unfair means. Admissions of around 150 candidates were cancelled in May.

While some students have been employed,43 have been promoted to second year. Of these,14 wanted to take the mid-term exam starting Monday,as they have already completed 16 of the 22-month course.

The institute,however,seems to be firm and has also written to companies where students of the 2011-13 batch have been placed.

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Rajan Saxena,vice-chancellor,said,These students will not be allowed to appear for the exam as they got admission fraudulently. In case the court passes an order in their favour,we will see what can be done.