Thapa seeks college quota

VIVEK CHHETRI , TT, 17 Jun 2019, Darjeeling: GTA head Anit Thapa has written to Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee seeking reservation for local students in hill colleges.

While welcoming the "online admission" in colleges, Thapa has said: "However, in the hills we are facing some difficulties which we would like the government to consider and make an exception (for hill students in hill colleges)There are 14 colleges in the hills. "Our students, especially with average marks and from economically backward families, are finding it difficult to get admitted to the colleges here. They have little or no scope of being admitted to the colleges outside," said Thapa, who has pitched for a "quota".

Anit Thapa. File picture Students of Darjeeling Government College had on Friday expressed apprehension that many hill students would not get admission to honours courses. Admission process is currently on and classes are expected to start from the first week of July. Thapa, however, sought reservations not just in the DGC but in all hill colleges. Biswash Chhetri, the vice-president of the Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha (Binay Tamang), has also demanded that the Darjeeling Hill University be made operational as early as possible. "While we, too, demand reservations in hill colleges, we would also request the government to make the hill university operational as early as possible. The varsity can address these grievances," said Chhetri.

The hill students have said since the North Bengal University reserves 60 percent of post-graduate seats for students from NBU-affiliate colleges, similar reservations could also be made in colleges for students from a particular area..