CM asks to crack down on students collecting money for admissions

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has instructed police commissioner Rajeev Kumar to take stern actions against those involved in collecting money for giving admission in colleges.

Kolkata Police on late Friday night arrested two persons involved in the racket. Extra police force will be deployed outside colleges where admissions are going on. Outsiders will not be allowed inside the college premises and only merit should be the criterion for admission.

Chief minister Banerjee has urged students to report to police against those who will ask for money.

It may be mentioned that in the core committee meeting held at Netaji Indoor stadium recently, Mamata Banerjee had categorically said that no money should be taken from students on the pretext of providing admissions in colleges and stern actions would be taken against those involved in the matter.

It was learnt that Chief Minister became furious after reports of students asking for money from freshers to get them admitted in different colleges surfaced in the media.

It is alleged that a student was asked to pay Rs 65,000 for a seat in Geography in a private college. Another student was asked to pay Rs 16,000 for a seat in English. Even in state-run colleges, freshers are often asked to pay money to get admission. Banerjee had repeatedly warned the student leaders in the core committee meeting about their role and that they should be helping students, rather than extorting money and if any such case is reported, then it will be dealt with seriously.

Partha Chatterjee, state Education minister reiterated on Saturday that no one involved in the extortion racket will be spared. He has urged students not to give any extra money and report the matter to the police and the principal of the college against those asking for money. Copies of the complaint may be sent to the Chief Minister's office (CMO). He said the state government is determined to break the racket and warned stern actions against those involved.

For quite a some time, there have been reports of money extortion by students leaders from the freshers assuring them seats in colleges at the undergraduate level. Both Mamata Banerjee and Partha Chatterjee have warned the union leaders to stop this malpractice.

Banerjee, who was an active Chatra Parishad leader, said it is the duty of the student leaders to help juniors in studies and improve the academic environment in colleges. But their requests have fallen flat. Partha Chatterjee said the Education department is determined to put an end to this malpractice and the state government will go all out to arrest those involved in the racket.