Will rules be bent for others?

CUTTACK: The issue of validity of certificates for granting weightage for admissions under Sports Quota in Ravenshaw College has snowballed into a major controversy with School and Mass Education Minister Pratap Jena in the eye of the storm. Now future of several students, aspiring for admission into the premier college, hangs in balance. As allegations of changing of rules overnight to facilitate admission of Jena’s son Ankit fly thick and fast, the college authorities now have to find other students whose applications had been rejected for not having proper counter-signatures. The college had been following the norms of having certificates countersigned by the Director of Sports and Youth Services for grant of weightage under Sports Quota and had rejected applications of Ankit as well as many other students for not submitting those. The latest missive of the Department of Higher Education enforcing the validity of counter-signature of Assistant Director (Physical Education) under the Higher Education Department has put the College  in a spot. “We have sought clarifications from the Government on the issue. The main problem is how to find the other students whose applications have been rejected on similar grounds. The process of re-sending intimations and asking them all to report for admissions will take time. We need to be fully guided on how to take the admission process forward from now on,” Principal Prabhudutta Das said. Ankit, who had not got through the first selection in Ravenshaw, had sought to get admitted under Sports Quota. He, however, failed to submit certificates countersigned by Director of Sports and Youth Services and his application was rejected. But on Saturday, an order was rushed to the college by the Department of Higher Education stating that Director, Secondary Education, is the only countersigning authority and students submitting certificates countersigned by it be taken in immediately.  But this would mean rejection of several admissions of students who have been taken in on the basis of other certificates, sources said. The Minister on his part said the Sports and Youth Services Department vide order no. 2589, since 2003, had given up its responsibility of countersigning certificates and handed it over to the Director, Secondary Education, which is the nodal sponsor. “The issue brings to the fore the fact that change in rules is not being implemented even after a lapse of eight years. No illegality has been committed, rather it should be seen as an effort to set things right,’’ Jena said.