Patna: The Raj Bhavan has stopped BEd counselling to be conducted by Patna Women's College for admission held on the basis of combined BEd entrance test, saying that the college has violated the governor secretariat directives.

On July 23 when Nalanda Open University, declared the results for combined BEd entrance test, the Patna Women's College issued a notice that they will carry out its own counselling for admission to the 100 seats at the institution.

However, the Raj Bhavan notice states that if any college starts its own admission process it is illegal and contemptuous and also against the order of Patna High Court passed in Mirza Ghalib TT College versus The State of Bihar reported in 2017 as well as the order of the Supreme Court passed in Modern Dental College and Research Centre versus State of Madhya Pradesh and others in civil appeal No. 4060/2009. The Raj Bhavan letter has annulled the college letter and stated that any further violation of the direction will be viewed seriously and action will be initiated.

As per Raj Bhavan directives for admission at BEd colleges, the Nalanda Open University which conducted the centralised admission on July 15 and results were declared on July 23 was to conduct the counselling of students from July 27 to August 8 at Gyan Bhavan of Samrat Ashoka Convention Hall. The Nalanda Open University, after the counselling of its candidates will ask for preference about different colleges.

On July 30, the university will release the list of institutions under which admission can be held. On August 1, the university will ask the candidates to give preference of institutions. Candidates will be allotted seats based on the marks and category.

Nalanda Open University registrar SP Singh said: "If the Patna Women's College is conducting its own counselling, it is a clear-cut violation of Raj Bhavan directives. The Nalanda Open University has been given the power to conduct combined entrance test and counselling followed by admission of students at colleges based on marks and category."

However, Patna Women's College claimed that by holding its own counselling they are not violating any guidelines issued by the Raj Bhavan secretariat. A senior college teacher looking after BEd admission said: "Patna Women's College is an autonomous institution and as per University Grants Commission, autonomous institutions have the power to conduct their own admission process."