PANJIM: NGO Vikas Parishad that runs Mandre College of Commerce, Economics and Management has hit out at Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar over denial of grand-in-aid to the institution despite approval in 2012 and approval to start additional faculties.
NGO Chairman, Ramakant Khalap, a former Union Law Minister, has alleged that the institution has been a victim of discrimination. He stated that Vikas Parishad was granted approval by former chief minister Manohar Parrikar to start the college on grant-in-aid basis through an order on July 17, 2012 while it was also assured approval for Arts faculty in the year 2013.
“We were shocked and dismayed to get a letter refusing both approvals and more particularly by the false and misleading reasons submitted by Department of Higher Education,” he said.
According to the report, Mandre College is 7 kms from Government College at Virnoda, Pernem and has less than 100 students that bars the institution from availing government funds.
Khalap contested the report stating that the college is 23 kms from Virnoda College and the latter is not easily accessible to students from the coastal area.
“Prerequisite of 100 students also has a proviso that if in any year the students strength is less than 100, it shall be presumed that the institution has raised amount equivalent to the fees receivable from 100 students and grant would be accordingly adjusted. We complied with this too by going house-to-house collecting funds but are still refused grants,” he stated.
The college has 111 students on its rolls and the first batch of BCom had 100 percent pass percentage this year.
“We have repeatedly requested the authorities, including the CM to end the discrimination and help Mandre College get its rightful due. We were shocked to hear when the CM asked us to close the college,” Khalap said.
Challenging the government to shut the colleges, the former minister has threatened to launch an andolan near Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament premises. “We will go house-to-house seeking funds but not close the college,” he added.
