Goregaon school cancels admissions of 140 students
A Goregaon school has cancelled the admissions of at least 140 students who had been enrolled into the private institute based on the 25 per cent reservations provided to children coming from economic
A Goregaon school has cancelled the admissions of at least 140 students who had been enrolled into the private institute based on the 25 per cent reservations provided to children coming from economically weaker section under the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
The management of the Gokhuldham group of schools justified the act by explaining that the admissions to the institute had been secured after submitting bogus income certificates.
It said the parties concerned had continued the deception for the last three years.
A parent, Raju Chaudhari, said, “We submitted an income certificate at the time of admission, which we had acquired from the tehsildar’s office. However, we have to submit a new document every year. An agent who is a security guard at the school approached us, saying he would procure the certificate for us if we paid him. He charged us between '2,000 and '5,000 per certificate. We had no clue the document would be fake.”
Parents also alleged the school authorities, including the principal, teachers, peons and watchmen were all part of the scam and the main culprit Nilesh Sonawane, who prepared the fake certificates, was associated with them.
The Dindoshi police station has arrested Sonawane, based on the parents’ complaint.
In the meantime, the parents submitted the genuine certificates, but the school refused admission saying they would be admitted only through the online process.
“The parents approached deputy director B.B Chavan, who issued an order, asking the school to admit all the 140 children. Even then, the school has refused to admit the children, said Jayant Jain of the Forum For Fairness in Education.
“It appears that there is some nexus between the school and the person who issued the bogus certificates,” said Mr Jain.
The parents will meet education minister Vinod Tawde on Tuesday.
Principal Champak Chaudhary was unavailable for comment. A school office staff said, “We have advised the parents to approach the BMC asking it to re-allot the seats online.”