70:30 RULE: ALL EYES ON COURT

Colleges Prepare For Rush Of Students, Parents If Court Lifts Stay On Admissions. Principals Optimistic About A Verdict

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: Will junior college aspirants flock to colleges on Monday morning or stay glued to their TVs to get news of the Bombay High Court hearing on the controversial 70:30 reservation rule? Will the court uphold or scrap the quota? These were some of the questions that principals were asking themselves on Sunday night in anticipation of the much-awaited hearing.

This year, a government circular called for colleges to reserve 70% of seats for students in their district. Mumbai has the south Mumbai and suburban districts. The circular, based on a 2003 government resolution, came bang in the middle of the admission process and was followed by an HC petition against it. The court then stayed admissions.

Most principals were optimistic that the court would withdraw the 70:30 rule for this year at least and maintain a status quo. Principals hoped that the court would keep students in mind. They also pondered the possibility of having to redo the entire process.

The stay was announced the day the third merit list was put out. If the stay is lifted, principals expect students who made it to the third list but didn’t finalise admissions to rush to colleges. Students yet to get admissions may also visit colleges to see if the the fourth lists are out.

Ruparel College principal Pradeep Kulkarni said he was not expecting a rush till Monday evening. “Once the high court’s verdict is announced, we will have to wait for a government order based on the HC decision and only then can we resume the admission process,’’ said Kulkarni.

Kirti Narain, Jai Hind College principal, said, “I’ve alerted our watchman in case there’s a crowd outside the college on Monday.’’ She said volunteers, including teachers and students, would be on standby to counsel and guide Class X students and parents. “I myself will reach college as early as 8.30 am,’’ she added.

Last week, when the high court announced its stay on admissions, Narain said her team of teachers stood outside college the whole day, consoling parents and sobbing students who had missed making it to the third merit list.

At KC College, Churchgate, there were a number of unhappy students seeking admissions last week. “We had to explain to them that admissions would not take place because of the court stay,’’ said principal Manju Nichani.

Principals said they have become depressed at the sight of bright children in tears over the merit list. “I have seen so many students with high marks and of a high calibre missing out on admissions,’’ said HR College principal Indu Shahani.

At colleges like Mithibai, where admissions are nearly over, and under 10% of the seats are up for grabs, the authorities don’t expect much of a rush. St Xavier’s, which wound up admissions after the second list, will even carry on with its orientation on Monday.

WILL THE PAPER CHASE RESUME? Many junior college aspirants face an anxious day today.