Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Irregularities alleged in Plus One admissions

Sangeeth Kurian

Higher secondary directorate has received 28 complaints so far

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Directorate of Higher Secondary Education has received many complaints of schools demanding hefty amounts as capitation fee and malpractices in the publication of the candidates' list in this year's Plus One admissions in the State.

Till Thursday, the ad hoc cell in the directorate, which is looking into the complaints relating to admissions, received 28 complaints. Last year, 15 complaints had been registered. The number of complaints is likely to go up this year, as the admission process ends only on July 31.

Out of the 28 complaints received so far, 17 were related to irregularities in admissions in various aided higher secondary schools. A parent from Aralummood, in her complaint against a school at Nellimood, alleged that the management gave admission to a student with lower marks by "accepting heavy amount as capitation fees", thus negating her daughter's legitimate right for a seat.

A complaint filed by the Youth Congress block committee against a Government Higher Secondary School at Punalur alleged that the original list published by the school had been tampered with.

The hearing into the complaints is currently on at the directorate. However, the directorate is yet to take any punitive measures against any of the schools based on the complaints filed during the last two years. According to the directorate officials, most of the complaints were "found to be devoid of any substance." However, the officials admitted that the acceptance of capitation fee in aided schools was a "genuine concern."

Till two years ago, there was a Government clause, which directed the managements of aided schools to allot 10 per cent of their total management quota of 30 per cent, to students belonging to the respective management community on the basis of merit. This would have given the directorate a leeway to monitor any demand for capitation fee by the schools, said a senior department official. The directorate has already recommended to the Government to reinstate the clause for the benefit of the students, he added.

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