Panjab University violate Supreme Court's NRI-sponsored admission categories
The High Court had issued notices to Chandigarh, Panjab and Haryana, seeking
explanation over violation of Supreme Court orders.

Chandigarh, August 17, 2007
Express News Service

From the next academic session onwards, Panjab University (PU) will not grant any admission under the NRI-sponsored and Industry-sponsored categories.

The statement was made by advocate Anupam Gupta on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor of the university. As far as vacant seats under the two categories which are yet to be filled up are concerned, the varsity has decided to let the seats remain vacant.

However, according to the statement, the university is most likely to protect the seats of those already granted admission in various departments by July 27 this year.

Recording the statements of Gupta, the division bench comprising Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Ajai Lamba observed that the existing admissions made by the university under the two categories prima facie appear to be illegal and are liable to be cancelled.

It may be recalled that the decision was taken by the Panjab University after the High Court issued notices to the university taking strong exception to the gross violation of Supreme Court guidelines.

As per the directions of the Supreme Court, any educational institution can grant admission to a student under the NRI category only if he/she is NRI or is a ward of a NRI. Observing that the NRI category was being misused by educational institutions and people to procure admissions for their children by paying hefty fees, the High Court had issued notices to Chandigarh, Panjab and Haryana, seeking explanation over violation of Supreme Court orders.

Waking up to the notices, the university took the decision. The varsity has also given an undertaking in the High Court that from the next academic session onwards only wards of NRI or NRI themselves will be granted admissions under the NRI category.