NGO accuses SPPU of discrimination after Naralkar college offers PGBDM course despite ban

Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has been accused by a non governmental organisation(NGO), Human Rights Protection and Awareness, to have discriminated and granted permission to one college out of 27, to conduct PGBDM courses, without AICTE’s approval. 

Earlier, in January, vice chancellor of the varsity, Nitin Karmalkar had passed a circular against colleges who had been conducting  various specialised courses including  the Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management (PGDBM),  without the approval of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). All these colleges were asked to stop conducting the courses and a total of 27 colleges had been barred from admitting students into the course.

However, out of them, Prin.N.G.Naralkar Institute of Career Development and Research, Shaniwar Peth, is the only college which has opened up admissions for the course, despite the circular. The vice president of the non-governmental organisation(NGO),Abhishek Haridas which has been working on the particular case said, “It is a case of discrimination and unlawful action. If this college has been barred from holding the admissions in PGDBM, then how are they still giving away admission forms for the same. To authenticate the matter, one of our NGO workers, Swapnil Mane, signed up for the process on April 20.”

When contacted, director of the institute, Seema Bapat said, “It is true that the university had barred institutions from admitting students for the course. However in January, AICTE notice claimed that part-time courses will not be approved and unlike Mumbai University which allows PGDBM to be full-time, Pune university doesn’t. Then in this situation, what do we do because we will not get the approval, whatsoever.”

“We have been conducting the course successfully for the past 30 years and now we are being denied this opportunity. It is completely unfair for us and for the students. But, while giving away the admission forms, we are making it a point to inform them about the uncertainty and in case the university bars this in future, we have assured a full refund,” she added.

As per the circular on the university website, courses like post graduate diploma in marketing management (PGDMM), post graduate diploma in financial services (PGDFS), post graduate diploma in foreign trade (PGDFT), post graduate diploma in computer applications (PGDCA), post graduate diploma in international business (PGDIB) and PGDBM would not be allowed to run without AICTE approval. The vice chancellor at that point of time had assured to take strict actions against defaulters, however, they are yet to comment or take an action against Naralkar institute. 

“We have given 30 days to the university to either take strict action against the institute or to allow every institution to admit students for the course. If no response is received from their side, then we will take up this matter to the court and file a case of discrimination against SPPU, “ said Haridas.