The recommendation letter on the letterhead of former human resource development minister PN Singh. (Inset) PN Singh. Picture by Gautam Dey

Dhanbad, Sept. 4: What does a college principal do when she receives a recommendation from a legislator for admission? She tries to accommodate the ?recommendation?, not request, of course. But what does she do when she receives as many as 70 recommendations from a single MLA?

Principal of SSLNT Women?s College Kiran Singh claims to have received as many 70 recommendations on the letterhead of former human resource development minister P.N. Singh, who is also the BJP legislator from Dhanbad, for admission into the Intermediate classes this year. Water resources minister Jaleshwar Mahto is a close second in terms of the number of recommendations sent by him to the same college.

P.N. Singh could not be contacted for comment.

She suspects foul play though and believes there is an ?admission racket? in the coalfield, which is forging signatures and using fake letterheads. She has accordingly informed the deputy commissioner and the police superintendent of Dhanbad, and requested them to investigate the matter. All principals, she said receive a deluge of requests and it becomes practically impossible to either turn them all away or concede all the requests.

A letter with The Telegraph, purportedly written by P.N. Singh and dated July 22, 2005, states that Rita Kumari (name changed) has passed her matriculation in the third division and goes to the college principal for direct admission.

?On Friday, we had a meeting of the academic council of the college to review the preparations for conducting examinations scheduled this month. About 35 teachers were present, when a man suddenly appeared and handed this letter to me,? she said.

?Since there was no seat in the Arts wing of the intermediate course, I offered admission to his daughter in the Commerce stream. But the man got furious and created a scene and threatened me with dire consequences,? said the shaken principal.

?The cut-off marks for admission to the intermediate course, that was closed on Wednesday, was 54 per cent and it would have been virtually impossible to accommodate someone who has not even received 45 per cent,? argued the principal.

As SSLNT Women?s College has hostel facilities, it attracts students from all over the state. But due to interference of the influential people, the meritorious students are being deprived of admission in the institution.