The Hindu : Kerala News : Parallel college students stage protest

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Thursday, Nov 20, 2008
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Parallel college students stage protest

Staff Reporter

DEMANDING JUSTICE: Parallel college students staging a dharna in front of the District Collectorate in Malappuram on Wednesday

MALAPPURAM: Hundreds of higher secondary students from parallel colleges took out a march and staged a dharna in front of the District Collectorate here on Wednesday demanding justice from the government.

They accused the government of fleecing nearly two-lakh students studying in parallel colleges by charging heavy fees from them, even as Rs. 500 crore was being spent from public exchequer for five-lakh regular higher secondary students.

Varghese Thottuparambil, human rights activist, inaugurated the dharna. Khaja Mohayuddeen, district president of the Parallel College Association, presided over the function.

Delivering the keynote address, A. Prabhakaran, State secretary of the Parallel College Association, said that a large number of students were confined to parallel colleges not because of poor quality but because they belonged to the lower rungs of society and that they lacked influence.

The demands raised by the protesters included delinking of higher secondary private registration from the State Open School; inquiry into the financial dealings of the State Open School; introduction of private registration facilities at the schools that are selected as examination centres; include private students in scholarships and SC/ST aids; introduce arts and sports fests for students of private institutions; include parallel college teachers in training programmes offered to regular teachers; withdraw levying of heavy tax and power charges on buildings housing parallel colleges; and recognition for parallel colleges as formal educational institutions.

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