Some colleges with minority tag offering seats for cash: Munde

An allegation of some junior colleges having religious and linguistic minority statuses 'selling' the vacant seats for money was raised Tuesday in the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

Responding to a calling attention raised by the Leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde, state Education Minister Ashish Shelar said flying squads would be deployed to ensure strict compliance with norms for admission in junior colleges.

Munde has alleged that some junior colleges having religious and linguistic minority statuses generally cannot fill the sizable number of seats from their respective communities.

"However, instead of surrendering these non-filled seats to the state government for its online procedure, these colleges offer admissions by accepting cash against the unfilled seats, which is an illegal practice," Munde alleged.

The NCP leader also named three such junior colleges having the minority status and alleged that they have been accepting money against the vacant seats.

To this, Shelar said he would look into the allegations personally.

He also assured the Upper House of formation of flying squads to curb such alleged practices.