Online selection misled students

THIS is regarding the recent online selection conducted by Department of Higher Education Research Science and Technology (DHERST).
The selection was based on information provided by respective institutions.
Some are run by their own enabling Acts of Parliament and others fall under the oversight of the Education Department.
Unlike the rest of the institutions that fall under the oversight of the two departments, the universities have their mandates vested in the respective administrations by law.
Their selections are governed by their entry requirements, which are sanctioned by the university governing councils that are chaired by the chancellors.
The process is managed through a very carefully-guided and protected process which respective schools’ courses have their own entry requirements.
For example, in law, the entry requirement is four or five Bs across the board or better.
In the school of humanities it varies, but its minimum is either two Bs and three Cs or better.
Science is likewise: full Bs or better.
It is based on these entry requirements that career officers in the provinces advise potential students to apply.
In 2018, the school leavers lodged their applications with an assumption that based on their internal assessment, they could score well beyond the minimum prescribed by law as part of respective universities by-laws.
The students are very innocent.
Should the students miss out because the schools gave the DHERST a quota to select – which affected the entry marks to increase or elevate – which subsequently affected the students chances of selection, the State, DHERST and the universities can be taken to court to compensate the students in huge damages and loss of study opportunities.
The act of providing quota resulting in affecting student’s chances of study subsequently affecting their future is very illegal and unlawful.
Unless the universities have amended their enabling legislations, thereby also amending the by-laws, the state and the universities will have caused a serious legal blunder which subject to massive litigation. The common excuse of limited space in schools cannot be used against potential students.
It’s a matter for the Government and the schools to find money to expand infrastructures.
Our children have right to education guaranteed by the Constitution and protected by law.
Any acts done by the universities and DHERST to limit potential students to meet schools’ quota is unlawful.

Kumbaolkal Kep Lita