HP demands exemption for colleges and universities in GTA area from centralized admission

EOI, DARJEELING, JULY 15, 2024 : Opposing the decision of the West Bengal Government to conduct centralized online admission in colleges and universities, the Hamro Party has urged the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration to intervene to provide relief to the students in the GTA area.

On June 19 last, the State Higher Education Department issued a notification, introducing a centralized online admission to undergraduate courses in the general degree colleges. The HP has demanded that students from the GTA area begiven preference in colleges and universities meant for students in this area and these be exempted from the new guideline.

"The centralized online admission format has led to greater inflow of students from the non-GTA areas to colleges that were traditionally set up to meet the educational needs of the local population. This has disrupted the balance in the long term which may lead to public resentment and outrage," said Rabgay Rai, president of the Hamro Yuva Shakti (HYS), the student wing of the HP.

The HYS said on Monday though the GTA had been apprised of the important and sensitive issues involved, no measures had been taken to address the problem. "We demand that colleges and universities including nursing colleges within the GTA area be exempted from the centralized online admission system. We submitted a memorandum of our demand to the GTA but could not meet the senior officials," said Rai.

The HYS president said the Darjeeling Government College which catered to local students had already published the first merit list but the names of only a few local students were included. "The first merit list has already been published and the second will follow later this month. However, the names of only a few local students are included in the list,” Rai said.

”What will be the faith of the local students if the quota is filled by students from non GTA area? 

"Rai said the Darjeeling Government College catered to students from the tea gardens. They were financially weak. He urged the GTA to seek 60 percent reservation for the local population.

"It is the responsibility of the GTA to look after the welfare of the local students. The Darjeeling Government College provides quality education at minimum cost. Therefore it is imperative the GTA provides opportunity to students to avail good education at low cost," said Rai.

The Darjeeling Government College and the Gorubathan College are the only two fully state government-funded colleges in the GTA region, while the rest are state government-aided.

"There are around 20,000undergraduate students in the GTA region. We are not against students coming from outside to study in colleges of the hills. But, we want that seats to be reserved for the local students," said Rai. GTA officials including those of the education department could not be contacted for their opinion