Bias charge on Siliguri colleges – Higher cut-off irks ‘outsiders’
Posted by barunroy on June 3, 2008
Siliguri, June 2: Many colleges here have decided to restrict the entry of first-year students from outside the Siliguri subdivision and municipal area, sparking a debate on whether regional reservation is a legal solution to ease pressure on the institutions.
While students from the locality will be issued forms if they fulfil the minimum criteria laid down by North Bengal University, those who have passed out from schools located outside Siliguri will have to score at least 65 per cent in the Higher Secondary exams. The cut-off marks for other boards is 75 per cent (see chart).
In Siliguri College, for example, the cut-off is at 70 (HS) and 80 (others) per cent respectively. The cut-off marks are the same for pass and honours courses.
According to university rules, a candidate is eligible to apply for an honours course if s/he has obtained 45 per cent (40 for SC and ST categories) in total and at least 50 in the subject concerned, irrespective of the board. For pass course, any candidate who has passed Plus II is eligible to apply.
Malay Karanjai, the principal of Siliguri College, said the cut-off marks for outsiders have been introduced to help local students.
Partha Sarathi Das, the principal of Surya Sen College, said this is the only way in which the interest of local students could be safeguarded. “This year, added to the growing trend of students migrating to Siliguri, is the high pass-percentage in Higher Secondary. In Siliguri town alone, the pass percentage is 90 per cent,” he added.
A.K. Mukherjee, the principal of Siliguri College of Commerce, said his institution has been following this system for more than five years.
Father Cheriyan Padiyara, principal of St Xavier’s College, said the institution will have a minimum cut-off marks of 50 per cent in aggregate for all students besides admission tests and interviews.
“I am personally against discrimination on the basis of geographical location. Even students of our region go out to seek better opportunities and they have the right to do so,” he added.
Rabi Shankar, the president of the All Gorkha Students’ Union, said it was unfortunate that the institutions were resorting to “regional discrimination”.
“Many Indian colleges do have a system of cut-offs to select the best students but the rules of the game are same for students from any region. Admissions must be made purely on the basis of merit,” the hill student leader said.
Arunava Basumajumdar, vice-chancellor of NBU, was not available for comment. However, sources at NBU said the colleges have the right to frame their own admission policies.
Gitanath Ganguli, a senior advocate from Calcutta, said the decision taken by these colleges is “opposed to natural justice”. “If anyone brings this matter before the judiciary, it is bound to be set aside by the court,” Ganguli said. [The Telegraph]
