EduVigil to check on capitation fee

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vigilance director Jacob Thomas has launched a programme titled EduVigil to crack down on the collection of capitation fees and irregularities in recruitments at professional institutions. The initiative came close on the heels of the state witnessing a major row over an alleged collection of capitation fee by self-financing medical and engineering colleges for admissions. As part of the EduVigil programme, educational institutions will be directed to display permanent posters stating that the institution would neither collect any capitation fee nor indulge in irregularities in appointments of faculty and other staff.

The vigilance director also directed all units of VACB to chalk out creative methods to implement EduVigil and report achievements on a monthly basis. "When a quick survey is conducted on aspects that are most important in life, people up to 30 years say it is education. Future Kerala is built by today's below 30 years old and therefore to embed in our culture 'zero tolerance to corruption' EduVigil programme is being started on an experimental basis," his circular says.

“Since students, scholars and researchers in professional academic institutions take up leadership roles in various sectors and institutions of society, focus is given to corruption free professional education governance. Colleges, schools and institutes imparting education in law, journalism, medicine, paramedical, engineering, designs, accounting, management, research, agriculture, veterinary, fisheries, forestry and teaching are focused in the first phase.”