Education malpractices Bill to be tabled soon
Seeking capitation fee or indulging in corrupt and unfair practices by educational institutions will soon be dealt with severely.
The Centre plans to bring in the Education Malpractices Bill in the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament which begins next week.
The Bill empowers government to initiate criminal proceedings against private institutes that charge capitation fee or cheat students through other unfair practices.
The human resource development ministry is preparing to introduce the Bill after a delay of almost two years as the legislation had faced stiff resistance in Parliament from opposition and treasury benches when HRD minister Kapil Sibal tried to introduce it earlier.
The Bill aims at cleaning up the education sector with the Centre being empowered to impose stiff penalties and fines against errant institutes.
Official sources stated that the HRD Ministry has identified as many as 25 malpractices for which educational institutions be penalised.
A provision of imposing a fine of up to `50 lakh and sentencing of up to 10 years in case of individuals has been proposed in the Bill.
“The mushrooming of fake universities is also expected be checked through the provisions of this bill,” sources added.
The legislation also promises to crack down on institutes that promise a host of facilities to students at the time of admission and through their prospectus but fail to provide the same.
Despite being a part of HRD Minister Kapil Sibal’s much publicised educational reform process in the higher education sector of the country the Bill has already faced a delay of over two years.
The Bill had to face stiff resistance in Parliament from opposition and treasury benches and later in the standing committee as several MPs had questioned the need for a separate bill instead of enforcement of existing laws.
The MPs had argued that the All India Council for Technical Education, a regulatory body for higher technical education, be given more powers instead of bringing in a new law.