Hundreds of students belonging to underprivileged class undergoing free coaching in private coaching centres under 10% Government quota staged protests here on Friday.
The students said that the coaching centres were charging them Rs 14000 to Rs 25000 citing various charges. “The coaching centers are saying that these charges are for heating, printing and material. However as per rules and promises made to us by School Education department at the time of launching this scheme, they don’t have to charge us anything,” said a student.
“Had we been able to pay for coaching why would we apply under quota for underprivileged students, my father is a laborer and I’m barely able to pay for my lodging and boarding charges,” he said.
The students said that some coaching centers mainly from Paraypora and Rajbagh don’t care about government quota.
“The problem is that since admissions have been closed in almost every coaching centre, we can’t even apply elsewhere and the coaching centers where we got selected under quota are charging us, we are in lurch,” said a student from south Kashmir.
The students said that previous year they got selected through 10% quota but they did not pay a single penny. “This year coaching centers have thrown the entire DESK quota to wind along with the rules’, said the aggrieved students.
The initiative was launched from 2017 by Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) for under-privileged candidates to avail admission in private coaching centers under 10 percent quota.
The students also said that this year they were not given the coaching centers as per their preference. “We have to fill forms as per preference, but this year none of the coaching centers were given as per preference,” said one of the students adding, “Our coaching centers fall more than 20 kms from our rented accommodations and we have to pay hefty travel charges.”
While acknowledging the issue, Joint Director School Education Abid Hussain said that the issue is in their notice and they have already contacted the coaching centre owners.
“We held a meeting with them and they won’t be charging these huge sums, however that have asked for minimum printing charges for stationery, we will issue an order for the minimum printing charges tomorrow which won’t be more than Rs 5000 to 7000,” Abid Husssain said.
“These charges will be only for BPL category. Physically challenged, orphans and AAY are exempted from it”, he said.
On the issue of coaching centre preferences he said that they have to first accommodate orphans, physically challenged and AAY and everyone cannot be accommodated as per their first preference.