Pvt polytechnics slapped with Rs 2.93cr fine for flouting admission norms

Mandi: Twenty-one private polytechnic colleges in Himachal Pradesh have been slapped with a cumulative fine of Rs 2.93 crore for flouting admission norms and accepting about 2,100 students who allegedly did not even appear in the required entrance test.

The state Technical Education Board?has been conducting mandatory tests for entry into the three-year diploma course in 13 engineering streams?at 15 government and 24 private polytechnic colleges.

The board imposed a penalty on the erring institutions and directed them to pay Rs 15,000 as penalty plus Rs 13,500 per admission for breach of the norms related to admissions.

Complying with the orders of the board, five institutions have already deposited Rs 25 lakh in respect of 600 students who were admitted despite them not having taken the test.

Meanwhile, terming the?action of the board illegal, the managements of 16 of the penalised institutes have decided to challenge it in high court.

Due to the ongoing tussle, there is a question mark on the fate of around 1,500 students whom the board?may not allow to take admission in the next semester.