AICTE asks ‘callous’ colleges to admit J&K pupils

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has asked technical institutes that denied admission to students from Jammu and Kashmir under the Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS) across the country to ensure they accept eligible candidates or be ready to face action.

Under the scheme, the Central government offers the scholarship to 5,000 Kashmiri students to enable them to pursue higher education outside their state.

The regulatory body for higher education has been given the task of implementing the award of scholarships to candidates from the restive state.

“Unfortunately, a number of instances have been brought to our notice not only by the candidates themselves but also from other quarters, including government departments, that quite a number of the colleges have refused admission on flimsy grounds such as non-awareness of the scheme, seats not being available in the college, outright refusal for unknown reasons, etc,” AICTE vice-chairperson MP Punia said in a letter to the technical institutes on August 23.

“To say the least, this attitude of such colleges smacks of callous attitude towards the government of India sponsored scheme but also towards a matter of national importance,” he wrote.

The Union HRD ministry and AICTE have asked all the principal secretaries of states and directors of technical education to issue clear advisories to institutes and colleges falling under the purview of AICTE, University Grants Commission, and Indian Nursing Council to grant admission to eligible Kashmiri students.

CONTINUED ON P 6