Punjab & Haryana HC slaps Rs 10 lakh fine on NCTE, BEd college for flouting Supreme Court stay order
PTC Web Desk: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has imposed a Rs 10 lakh penalty on the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) for granting conditional recognition to a college in violation of a 2012 Supreme Court order that had placed a stay on such approvals.
The court found that Sion Educational and Welfare Society in Fazilka, which operates a B.Ed. college, had been allowed to complete its course. However, the institution failed to comply with the conditions set by the NCTE for its conditional recognition.
In a strongly worded judgment, the Punjab and Haryana High Court criticised the NCTE and the college for their joint actions, which jeopardized the careers of the enrolled students. The court noted that the actions of both parties appeared to be collusive. Consequently, the college was also fined Rs 10 lakh, with the amount directed to be deposited into the PGI Poor Patients Fund.
In a move to safeguard the interests of the students, the court ordered the regularisation of their admissions and instructed the affiliated university to issue the necessary degrees. The Bench underscored that the NCTE, as a statutory body, is required to act impartially and without any bias. The court highlighted that Panjab University had never granted affiliation to the college in question, further exposing the irregularities in the NCTE’s decision.
- With inputs from agencies
