CBI To
Inquire Polytechnic, 2nd Shift Scam
Ludhiana Nov. 11, 2009
Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal
Senior BJP Leader and Punjab BJP Investor Cell Chief, Advocate
Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal today unfolded a major racket by Private
Polytechnic Colleges in Punjab in association with officials of
Punjab State Technical Education and Industrial Training Board
and All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). Grewal stated
that AICTE initiated a scheme to run Second Shift of Polytechnic
Institution in an existing Polytechnic Institution. Under this
scheme, a Polytechnic Institute could provide courses in Morning
and Evening Shifts with existing infrastructure and additional
faculty. Grewal added that as per AICTE norms the timings for
morning or 1st shift were defined as 7 am to 1.30 pm and 2nd shift
were defined as 2 pm to 8.30 pm but most of the private polytechnics
such as RIMT Polytechnic, Mandi Gobindgarh which are approved
for second shift are blatantly violating the norms by running
both the shifts from 9.30 am to 5 pm. Thus, the same infrastructure
and faculty is used to serve double the strength of students in
single shift.
Further under the scheme, as per AICTE norms an additional Vice
Principal or Deputy Director, in addition to the full time Director/Principal
of first shift was to be appointed. Norms further require at least
50% additional teaching faculty should be appointed for second
shift and 25% visiting faculty should be engaged and remaining
25% faculty should be utilized from the existing first year faculty.
But these Private Polytechnics are miserably overloading existing
infrastructure and faculty to serve double the strength of student
in single shift in order to milk the institution to please their
lust for money. Similarly, as per norms at least 50% additional
non teaching staff should be appointed for second shift and 50%
existing staff of the first shift may be utilized. But these Private
Polytechnics are openly flouting these norms so much so that they
are not even paying additional 50% of Basic Pay + DA for this
additional assignment to the existing 25% teaching and 50% non
teaching faculty as allowed under the scheme, keep aside appointment
of new faculty. Grewal added that the Salary transferred to the
Bank accounts of the faculty can be verified to establish the
same.
“The overall intent of this scheme was to reduce cost
of education per student, optimal utilization of resources and
to bring the infrastructure of the Polytechnics at par with engineering
colleges but murky deals of the Promoters of these Private Polytechnic
colleges, officials of AICTE and Punjab State Technical Education
and Industrial Training Board have been a spoilsport thereby spoiling
the careers of the students”, stated Grewal. He added that
he will write to Mr.Mahesh Aggarwal ACB, Central Bureau of Investigation,
Sector 30 A, Chandigarh, Mr. Sumedh Singh Saini, Director Vigilance
Bureau, Sector 17, Chandigarh and Mr. Gurbachan Singh Joint Director,
Intelligence Bureau, Chandigarh to investigate the culprits and
to put a full stop on commercialization of education which was
once considered a social work. At this time Ramandeep Singh PS,Babbu
Vijay Mall Doraha, Ajneet Singh, Chamkaur Singh Pandher, Ashok
Garg, Surjit Singh Sita Gogna large number of BJP Investor Cell
workers were present.
