(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The court has also directed the government to consider sanctioning courses in schools that were recommended by the six-member panel.In a big setback to the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government the Kerala high court on Monday stayed admissions in more than 100 higher secondary schools where the course was sanctioned without the recommendations of the expert-committee headed by the higher secondary director.
Justice P R Ramachandra Menon passed an interim order in this connection while considering a batch of about 80 petitions filed by various school managements. The court has also directed the government to consider sanctioning courses in schools that were recommended by the six-member panel.
This year the government had sanctioned 699 new plus-one batches including 131 new higher secondary schools in panchayats which did not have a single plus two schools as per the court order. The court found that only 595 of these had the recommendations of the expert panel.
The others were inducted by a cabinet sub-committee headed by Education Minister P K Abdu Rabb citing demands from MLAs. However the government could not furnish the letters from MLAs and documents regarding examinations of infrastructure and academic facilities carried out in schools where the courses were sanctioned.
The court directed the government not to sanction batches in schools without the required standard. Stating that the present order is an interim order the court sought detailed examination of infrastructure and academic facilities in new schools considered for fresh batches.
The education minister said that the department will take steps to implement the court order in consultation with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Advocate General. He said that the verdict will affect students who have secured admissions in schools found ineligible by the court for fresh courses.
Chandy who said he will take responsibility for the sanctioning of plus two batches refused to comment on the verdict. He told reporters at Cochin that he will study it and react.
Activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI) the student wing of the opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist) showed black flags when he arrived at Thevara College at Cochin on Monday for attending a function demanding his resignation.
Deputy opposition leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and former education minister and CPM politburo member M.A Baby have termed the high court verdict a vindication of the allegations levelled by them and others regarding large scale corruption in the sanctioning of higher secondary courses.
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