Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday cautioned legislators against associating themselves with private educational institutes.
"If there are any financial or other irregularities in the institute, you will have to take responsibility," Nitish said in the Assembly.
He was intervening in a call-attention question raised by Ashok Kumar of the Congress, who wanted the government to frame a law in which elected members will have a say in the management of affiliated educational institutes that are given government grant.
The chief minister's advice came in the backdrop of BSEB scam more popularly known as the merit scam in which the Intermediate (Arts) topper Ruby Rai did not know which paper she took for the exams.
Ashok said when there was Bihar Intermediate Education Council, institutes affiliated to it had MPs, MLAs and government officials in its management committees. However, when the council was merged with Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) the rule was done away with.
"In 2010, the government did away with the non-aided-college policy system. Today the government is giving crores of grant to such colleges without the local MLAs having a say," said Ashok.
Education minister Ashok Choudhary said while there is no law for private educational institutes, the government was willing to consider the matter.
Nitish intervened in the question hour for the first time during the current session.
"The move to merge the Intermediate council with the Bihar School Examination Board was done keeping in view with the national trend of de-linking school and college education," he said, recalling that he had started giving grants to private affiliated colleges in 2010 on the basis of their performance in exams.
"But we have been giving grants to so many educational institutes like the madarsas. But the government has no say in their functioning. I have no objections to MLAs becoming chairmen of managing committees, but I must warn them that they will have to take responsibility for any irregularity in the private institute," Nitish warned, asking the Speaker to study the matter.
After the CM spoke, Ashok did not pursue his demand. Obviously the BSEB scam, more popularly known as the merit scam, weighed heavily on the MLAs.
One of the prime accused Bachcha Rai of the scam had close links with several political personalities in the state. He regularly called ministers both from Bihar and the Union government to be chief guests of functions in his colleges.
Politically, former JDU MLA Usha Sinha was also put behind bars for her alleged involvement in the scam that tampered results of Intermediate exams to give high marks to candidates who paid.
"It was wise of the CM to give his advice in the matter. Many of the private college operators have shady past and any irregularity will automatically suck the politicians in," said a JDU MLA, adding politicians should keep off from such private colleges.
There are around 450 private colleges in Bihar. After the scam broke out it was found that recognition had been given to colleges without teachers or labs or classrooms. A few of them were running in a room in rented outlets.
