M A I N   N E W S

HC order hits Punjab students
Amarjit Thind
Tribune News Service

Sriganganagar, April 21
Average Punjab graduates desirous of donning the black robe after completing their Bachelor of Law (LLB) from here will have to look elsewhere to fulfil their dream as 66 students found out the hard way today.

For decades, the two law colleges of this city — SD College and Khalsa College — acted as a beacon for those who were average graduates and yet wanted to become lawyers. Legions of students armed with pass certificates and the requisite “donations” passed out from the portals of the colleges and went on to practice law.

That will no longer hold true after the Jodhpur High Court today dismissed a writ petition filed by 66 students from various parts of Punjab, upholding a directive of the Director, College Education, issued in March 2000 — graduates scoring 60 per cent marks and above were eligible to seek admission in the law colleges of the state.

It is pertinent to mention that domicile students scoring only 45 per cent marks can seek admission. In the present context, 78 domicile students are appearing in the ongoing first year examinations while those from Punjab have been disqualified.

Sources said students from outside were given admission on the basis of the judgement in the Bhupinder Singh case. He appealed against the directive of the Director challenging his authority to issue the directive and other grounds, which were upheld by the Jodhpur High Court.

Interestingly, Bhupinder Singh’s name figured in the first list of students sent by the university to the Khalsa College authorities. His name was subsequently withdrawn after the college authorities wrote back to the university clarifying their position in admitting the present lot.

The college authorities said they had yet to get a copy of the court order and would have to study the grounds for dismissal before commenting on the issue. “However, a precious academic year of the students has been wasted,” they revealed.

According to sources, the high court had upheld the grounds raised by Bhupinder Singh which, interestingly, were not contested by the university in the court. 

VC disbands exam centres
Jatinder Sharma

Rohtak, April 21
The Vice-Chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University, Major-Gen B.S. Suhag (retd), has ordered disbanding of all examination centres of GGDSD College, Palwal, on charges of mass copying and outside interference at these examination centres.

He said the remaining papers of the students of the college would be held at new centres from April 23. While the students who were taking their examination at Centre No. 214 (Br-I) have been shifted to Centre No. 210 (Government College, Faridabad), the candidates of Centre No. 215 and 216 (Br-II and III) have been directed to take further examination at Centre No. 302 (Government (DSD) College, Gurgaon).

The Registrar, Dr S. P. S. Dahiya, said ever since the commencement of university annual examinations, there were reports of mass copying and disturbances at the examination centres in the college. The Vice-Chancellor had, after taking into consideration these reports and getting the matter enquired into, cancelled the examinations held from April 2 to 7 at the college.

The Vice-Chancellor had warned that in the event of repetition of such occurrence whole examinations at the college would be cancelled.

The Registrar said despite warning, there was no improvement and the university was still receiving a large number of complaints regarding interference with the examination and threats to the invigilation staff.

Dr Dahiya said the university was yet to take a final decision on the fate of the papers held from April 7 to April 21. The annual undergraduate examination would conclude on May 18.

The university was also contemplating action against the Principal of the college, Dr Dahiya added.