JD(U) protests slashing of B.Ed seats in IGNOU

PATNA: The ruling JD(U) in Bihar today accused the central government of meting out "injustice" to the state by reducing the number of B.Ed seats by 98 per cent at IGNOU centres across the state.

"From the 1300 seats for the B.Ed course at four centres of IGNOU at Patna, Bhagalpur, Saharsa and Darbhanga to 25 now...we will not tolerate this injustice towards Bihar," senior JD(U) leader and deputy leader in the state Assembly Shyam Rajak said.

"This 98 per cent slash in the number of seats is a slap on the face of the people of Bihar," he said.

Such a decision shows that "there is a lot of difference in the words and deeds of the Narendra Modi government," he said.

Party legislator and spokesman Neeraj Kumar also echoed similar views.

Kumar said, an IGNOU admission notification issued in January this year had invited applications for only 25 seats of the B.Ed course.

Neeraj Kumar wrote a letter to Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar protesting the decision and seeking restoration of the previous arrangement.

IGNOU officials could not be contacted.