Impart education, don't just give certificates: Madras High Court

Chennai: “Teaching profession is one of the noblest professions. It is teachers, who have produced doctors, lawyers and judges. If there is no quality and genuineness in the institutions which impart education, there is no possibility of getting quality teachers and we cannot expect such teachers to inculcate moral values to the children. The interest of the educational institution must be to impart education and not to issue certificate of qualification, as education is different from qualification”, said the Madras high court.

Justice S.Vaidyanathan made the above observation while dismissing a petition from Alwin College of Education in Valasarawakkam, which sought a direction to the Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University to conduct the practical examination to 37 students, who were admitted in the year 2016-2018 batch in the college and consequently permit the 37 students to write the University Examination to be conducted by the university to be held in April 2018.

The judge said it was not in dispute that the petitioner college started functioning in the year 2006 and they submitted an application for grant of recognition to the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). Though conditional recognition was granted by the NCTE, to the petitioner college, on a perusal of the documents placed before this court, it was clear that the college has not submitted vital documents to the university, even after a lapse of one year from the university’s communication. Out of the 12 documents sought by the university, the college has produced only 6 documents before May 10, 2017. However, on mercy grounds, the university permitted 37 students of 2016-2017 batch to take up their first year examinations, the judge added.

The judge said there was no recommendation by the NCTE to the petitioner college with regard to the academic year 2015-2016 and that the University has not granted affiliation to the petitioner from the year 2012. However, the college continued admitting students. Further, the commission constituted by the university, paid a surprise visit to the college and found that the college was functioning in a temporary leased building and that the college building was not shifted to a permanent building and site, as per NCTE norms. In the commissions report, it was also stated that out of 37 students enrolled for the first year B.Ed programme, not even a single student was present on April 10, 2017 and out of 21 students enrolled for the second year B.Ed programme, only four students were present on April 10, 2017. Thus, there were several violations/ lapses pointed out by the university and the college has not functioned properly with the true spirit of imparting quality teachers’ training to the candidates enrolled in their college. The college has maintained false records to dupe the educational authorities. “Since the college has not taken diligent steps in carrying out the directions of the university for grant of permanent affiliation, they are not entitled to the relief sought for in the present petition”, the judge added.