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Sunday, Sep 10, 2006
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Admission row: LDF asks Achuthanandan to mediate

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has asked Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan to mediate with the college managements to resolve the professional college admission imbroglio as early as possible.

The LDF State council put this request to Mr. Achuthanandan at its meeting here on Saturday. Briefing presspersons after the meeting, LDF convener Vaikom Viswan said the Chief Minister would call representatives of the college managements for discussion on Sunday.

The suggestion to involve the Chief Minister in the negotiations came in the context of the growing concern among the students and their parents over the delay in starting the admissions to the professional courses. Education Minister M.A. Baby initially and a Cabinet sub-committee subsequently had been trying to evolve a consensus on the issues of dispute between the Government and the college managements.

The LDF meeting felt that the matter should not be delayed any further, Mr. Viswan said.

He noted that the Supreme Court, in its verdict in the case between the Government and the college managements on the admission issue, had not struck down the legal validity of the professional colleges Act passed by the State Assembly earlier this year.

The court's order had also made the findings of Justice P.A. Mohammed Committee binding to the Government and the college managements.

"The Government has this report with it. At the same time, the Cabinet sub-committee had been examining through talks whether a consensus could be found. The college managements, on their part, have now indicated that they are not for further discussions. But, the efforts to take forward the discussions have to be continued since the students and their parents are worried over the delay in starting admissions," Mr. Viswan said.

He said there was also an allegation that the Government was out to deny for the minority communities the special rights they were entitled to in the conduct of educational institutions. Such a charge might be a concocted one, but it was up to the Government to allay the fear. "The LDF urged the Chief Minister to take the initiative in doing so," he said.

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