Not one, two or three but around 800 students, who spent six crucial educational years in Ghani Khan Choudhury Institute of Engineering & Technology (GKCIET) College in Malda, are now without a valid degree.
The college was established in 2010, directly under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
“When the first batch graduated, the college failed to hand over any certificate to the students, because the college was not affiliated to any university.”Shain Zahedi, Student
The college opened its doors and enrolled students without having any affiliation to any university till 2018.
The college has a six-year course in engineering – two years each of a certificate course (equivalent to Class 12), a diploma course and the last two years, a BTech course.
Early this year, the state government finally allowed BTech courses to be affiliated to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT) – but with a catch.
MAKAUT decided to hand over the certificate to only those students who enrolled in 2018, and not to batches prior to that.
Till today, no one has been awarded a valid degree.
The 2010 batch completed six years of education and didn’t get a degree on completion of the course.
After numerous approaches, the college was to be affiliated to the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Durgapur. That too wasn’t successful.
“We were on a hunger strike for 26 days. We blocked public roads and railway lines. We were informed that WBSCTE would provide affiliation to diploma courses. MHRD had also sent a letter stating that NIT Durgapur will be giving affiliation for the BTech course. But later NIT Durgapur declined.”Shain Zahedi, Student
The ongoing strike didn’t draw any attention from the college, the authorities, the district magistrate, or the sub-division officer. The chief minister and the MHRD ignored the plea of the students.
After continuous agitation for two-and-a-half years, they decided to take this protest to Kolkata on 8 August 2018.
They have approached the authorities and administration time and again. An appeal has been issued to all those responsible who could help resolve the matter – Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, the MHRD – but they have been nonchalant till date.
The students protesting at the Malda campus have been thrown out and beaten up by the teachers and security personnel.
The students of Jadavpur University, Presidency University, Calcutta University and others have pledged their support.
“We demand an admission in BTech. The certificate that’s been awarded to us should be accepted. The students who completed their BTech in 2016 have still not been given a degree. We want the government to fulfill our demand.”Raj Imdad, Student
The certificate that is provided by the West Bengal State Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Skill Development (WBSCTE) has no value.
Despite the affiliation the +2 course is not equivalent to higher secondary education in India.
With no response from the administration, the institution is likely trying to steer clear of its responsibilities.
(Disclaimer: The Quint sent a mail to Prof Parameswara Rao Alapati, Director of the college but received no response from him.
We even called Md Abdur Rajjaque, Assistant Registrar (A&E), on the mobile number provided on the college website. He, too, refused to answer our calls.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)