Bangalore: Students Term IIPM Bogus, HC Questions Shah Rukh Khan Link

Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Jun 17: Relating to a petition filed by students, Pravin Mesta and four others, the state High Court has ordered issuance of emergent notices to Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM), deemed to be a prestigious institution, state government, University Grants Commission and other accused.

The students have accused IIPM of collecting huge sums of money from them, by claiming itself to be a prestigious educational institution, and then leading the students towards a bleak future. They have alleged that the institution is being operated without obtaining mandatory recognition from any university or government. In their petition, these students blamed the institute of resorting to repressive measures against those students who question the irregularities.

The High Court has also asked IIPM to clarify as to in what way it is connected with its brand ambassador and Bollywood leading actor, Shah Rukh Khan. "Is he your former student? How much remuneration he gets in the capacity of your ambassador?" the court wanted to know. The High Court has also sought views of the petitioners and the defendants about the desirability of the appearance of celebrities in the advertisements of educational institutions.

The petition came for hearing before Justice Abdul Nazir of the state High Court. Prof Arindam Choudhri, dean of IIPM, M S University Tamil Nadu, University Grants Commission (UGC), department of technical education of the central government, state chief secretary, principal secretary in the higher education department, and police commissioner have been named as defendants in the case.

The students say that the institute is a bogus entity, as it is not recognized by any of the universities in the country. “The entry forms of the institution claim that it is a branch of a university in Tamil Nadu, and that it runs two years full time course. It has collected between four and 11 lac of rupees from students. At the same time, even those students who have failed in their degree examinations, have been given admission into its course.

The students later learnt that this happens to be a distance learning institution. After realizing this, the students sought their degree certificates and other records back, but the management refused to yield to this request. Through an order obtained from a subordinate court, the management has banned entry of students into the premises of the institute,” the petition alleges.

The students say that the first semester examination was conducted in March last, citing that the question paper gives the month of examination as January, while the hall ticket bear the date as February. They have sought high level probe into the affairs of IIPM, and refund of fee collected from the students.