Takingserious note of the withholding of degrees of the SC students by privatecolleges/institutions owing to non-payment of fees after the closure of PostMatric Scheme for SC students by the Union Government in 2017, the PunjabGovernment today directed all the institutions to release degrees to suchstudents within three days.
Thedecision was taken here today during the maiden meeting of the High poweredcommittee of the Group of Ministers (GoM), constituted in the State cabinetmeeting yesterday (Thursday) by the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singhunder the Chairmanship of Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, to decide onthe pending issues regarding the year 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 arising outof the closure of the scheme.
Afterthe meeting, the Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal apprised that the GoMhas extended an invitation to all the colleges and institutions forcomprehensive discussions in an open minded manner on the pending issues andexplore ways for their redressal, on January 19, 2021.
TheFinance Minister further pointed out that the colleges and institutions havebeen given three days timeframe to release degrees to the students. “Themeeting would also brainstorm about the ways and means to settle the pendingliabilities of three years”, revealed Manpreet Singh Badal adding that thereleasing of the degrees within the stipulated three days period would be apre-requisite for the institutions to attend the meeting.
TheTechnical Education and Industrial Training Minister Charanjit Singh Channipointed out that the BJP led Union Government in an anti-dalit decision,stopped the Post Matric Scholarship scheme for SC students in 2017 which causedpanic amongst the students belonging to SC category.
Hefurther said that the State Government is willing to contribute its share inthe scheme. “The Punjab Government is opposed to the colleges withholdingdegrees of the students and taking affidavits or indemnity bonds from themwhich is the reason the State Government has decided that in case anyinstitution or colleges withholds the degree of any student or takes anaffidavit from the students, the affiliation of the concerned institution wouldbe cancelled. The issue pertaining to fees is between the Government and theinstitutions and the future of SC students would not be allowed to bejeopardized”, added Charanjit Singh Channi.
Meanwhile,the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot said that theChief Minister had constituted the high powered committee in order to ensurethat no student is deprived of the avenues of employment or higher studies onaccount of non-receipt of the degree. He further said that the committee wouldhold broad based dialogue with the institutions.
TheMinister also added that if the Union Government has abdicated itsresponsibility then the State Government stands firmly at the back of SCstudents and under no circumstances would their rights be allowed to trampleupon. “The colleges and the institutions have been directed to release degreesto the students in three days”, said the Minister.
Onthe occasion, the members of the GoM including Social Justice and EmpowermentMinister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Higher Education and Languages Minister TriptRajinder Singh Bajwa and Technical Education and Industrial Training MinisterCharanjit Singh Channi, Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister SureshKumar, Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary Finance K.A.P. Sinha,Principal Secretary Social Justice and Empowerment Jaspal Singh, PrincipalSecretary Technical Education Anurag Verma and DPI (Colleges) Paramjit Singhwere also present.