Release degrees of SC pupils or lose affiliation, colleges told

Chandigarh, January 15

Taking a serious note of the withholding of degrees of SC students by private colleges/institutions owing to non-payment of fees after the closure of the Post-Matric Scheme for SC students by the Centre, the Punjab Government today directed all institutions to release degrees to such students within three days. In case any institution or colleges withholds the degree of any student or takes an affidavit from the students, the affiliation of the institution concerned will be cancelled.

Channi slams centre

Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said the BJP-led Union Government, in an anti-Dalit decision, stopped the scholarship scheme in 2017 which caused panic among SC students

The decision was taken here today during the first meeting of the high-powered committee of the group of ministers, constituted during yesterday’s Cabinet meeting. Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who heads the committee, has been empowered to decide on the pending issues regarding the years 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 arising out of the closure of the scheme.

After the meeting, the Finance Minister said the group had extended an invitation to all the colleges and institutions for comprehensive discussions in an open-minded manner on the pending issues and explore ways for their redressal on January 19, 2021.

He said the colleges and institutions had been given three days to release degrees to the students. “The meeting will also brainstorm the ways and means to settle the pending liabilities of three years. Release of degrees within the stipulated three days will be a pre-requisite for the institutions to attend the meeting,” the Finance Minister said. — TNS