1.45 lakh B.Ed admission seekers left high and dry in UP

LUCKNOW: Nearly 1.45 lakh candidates applying for admission in B.Ed course will not be allowed to appear in the entrance examination as eligibility criteria has been modified, a senior officer said here.

"Those applicants who have secured less than 50 per cent marks in graduation would not be allowed to appear in the entrance examination as they do not conform with the norms set by National Council for Teachers Education (NCTE)," secretary Higher Education Anil Sant said in a statement.

He, however, said that SC/ST candidates having graduation degree would be allowed to appear in the examination.

"The Lucknow University has been directed to refund a application fee of Rs 800 deposited by the aspirants having less than 50 per cent marks," Sant said.

He said that in 2007 NCTE fixed the criteria of allowing aspirants, who have secured 45 per cent marks in graduation, to apply for admission in BEd course.

"On the basis of criteria fixed by the NCTE, Agra University conducted B.Ed entrance examination in 2008-2009," he said.

The secretary said that the norms were again modified by the NCTE in August last year and it was decided that only those students having 50 per cent of above marks would be allowed to apply for admission in B.Ed course.

"But neither the state government nor the Lucknow University was informed about the new norms, therefore, the university decided to conduct the entrance examination on the basis of norms fixed in 2007," Sant said.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Lok Dal General Secretary Anil Dubey has demanded that the aspirants having less than 50 per cent marks should be allowed to take up the entrance examination.