Affiliation restored, seven pvt schools back in business

The schools, all in Tarn Taran, are yet to pay a hefty fine imposed by the Punjab School Education Board

TARN TARAN: The seven private schools, which were found to be involved in ‘cash for copying’ racket during the Class 12 exams of Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) last year, in Tarn Taran district’s Valtoha block, are back in the business.

In March 2018, the PSEB had disaffiliated seven private schools—dashmesh Senior Secondary School in Valtoha, Hari Singh Nalua Public School in Poonian, Santh Sipahi Public School in Thatha, Shaheed Bhagat Singh School in Valtoha, and Sri Bala Ji Senior Secondary School, United Senior Secondary School and Gurukul Public School in Khemkaran— a few days after unearthing a ‘racket’ in which the schools had taken money to pass some of the students, under the Open School Scheme.

The racket was unearthed by school education secretary Krishan Kumar, when a team led by him found mass copying during Class 12 examination at these schools.

It has been learnt that the affiliation of these schools was restored two months ago, after PSEB imposed hefty fine on them. However, the schools have started functioning without paying any fine to the board.

Sources say due to political pressure, the board had to restore the affiliations of the schools.

“Earlier, the affiliation of the schools was cancelled. Recently, the schools made an appeal against the board’s action. The appeal was heard by the chairman of the PSEB and then by a committee of the board. After hearing the appeal, the schools’ affiliation was restored,” said Sucheta, additional secretary and in-charge of affiliation department of the PSEB.

We have imposed fines to restore the affiliations of the schools, she said. However, she didn’t disclose the amount of the fine and the exact date of restoring the affiliation.

District education officer (secondary) Nirmal Singh said around two months ago, they got a letter from the head office that these schools had been penalised in ‘crores’. Now these schools have started functioning and are also enrolling new students.

Owner of United Senior Secondary School, Bachittar Singh, said, “The board has imposed fine ranging from ₹35 lakh to ₹1.5 crore on different schools. No school has paid any fine till now as the amount is hefty. We have made an appeal for waiving the fine. The appeal is yet to be heard by the board.”

Deputy commissioner (DC) Pardeep Kumar Sabharwal said he is unaware if the board has restored the affiliation of the schools. “If it has happened, it is unfortunate,” he said. The DC had played an instrumental role in taking action against these schools.

“School education secretary had conducted a surprise visit at these schools’ centres during Class 12 English exam. He found that the students were involved in mass copying allowed by the schools,” a PSEB spokesperson had said in a press release in March 2018. Later, the exam was cancelled by the board.

Around 1,500 students of various districts had taken admissions in these schools under the Open School Scheme. They had alleged that they had given ₹45,000 to ₹50,000 to the schools on the assurance of getting them passed with good marks.

AFFILIATION WAS CANCELLED FOLLOWING A ‘RACKET’ TO PASS STUDENTS AFTER TAKING MONEY WAS UNEARTHED IN FEB 2018

CONG’S SAINI APPLIES FOR ANANDPUR SAHIB

ANANDPUR SAHIB : State Congress secretary Kamal Saini on Tuesday applied for the party ticket from Anandpur Sahib parliamentary constituency. The Saini community has a sizeable population in the constituency.

Saini is the third leader to have applied for the party ticket from Anandpur Sahib.