BANGALORE: Higher Education Minister D.H. Shankaramurthy is hopeful that the confusion over admitting students from the general merit category and those from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to unaided professional colleges will be cleared by Thursday when the legislature meets for the budget session.

Mr. Shankaramurthy met representatives of unaided professional colleges here on Monday along with Medical Education Minister V.S. Acharya and Transport Minister N. Cheluvaraya Swamy.

Cabinet discussions

Mr. Shankaramurthy said he stands by the Bill his department has prepared for resolving the issue. It will be discussed at a Cabinet meeting before it is presented to the Legislative Assembly on March 21, he added.

The Minister reiterated his stand that he is neither for deviating from the Supreme Court judgment on the issue nor for confrontation with unaided colleges. He hinted that the Government might seek the opinion of experts and officials on whether amendments to the Bill are needed so that it will stand the scrutiny of courts. As a Minister, he has no powers to meddle with the judgment, he pointed out.

Confidence

Explaining why he felt he can resolve the admissions issue with the Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka, the Minister said he has no axe to grind with college managements. He has requested Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to direct the Finance Department to release funds for reimbursing the subsidy towards the fee payable by Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students admitted to private professional colleges.

Assurance

The Chief Minister, he said, has said subsidy for admissions during 2006-07 will be paid immediately. Last year's arrears will be cleared later.

College managements, he hoped, will not insist that the dues should be cleared immediately.

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