The fate of 1,400 students at Parshvanath College of Engineering continues to hangs in the balance as the Supreme Court hearing has been postponed to September 4 due to unavailability of the high court order copy.
The Bombay high court recently retained the order of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to shut down the Thane college on the grounds of inappropriate land and building documents and unavailability of occupancy certificate.
The college has challenged the high court’s order in the Supreme Court. Having now acquired the occupancy certificate, the college management is hoping positive response from the SC.
Samir Nanivadekar, public relations officer of the institute, said: “The matter came up for hearing on Wednesday. However, it got postponed since there is no copy of the Bombay high court order as yet, not even on the website. The matter will now be heard on September 4.”
“The main issue was about the occupancy certificate from the Thane Municipal Corporation, which we have received now. Hence, we are hopeful that we will get a positive response once the case comes up for hearing in the SC.”
Meanwhile, the college continues to function regularly. “Students should not suffer — that is our only agenda. Although the order states that we shift students to other colleges, it is practically difficult to do that in the middle of the running semester. For final year students, the practicals have started and project work has begun," he said.
He added that if students have to be shifted, it will most likely be done depending on the residential addresses of the students.
According to the AICTE the institute was sent withdrawal orders twice, but it managed to get a stay on the orders by going to court, and continued admissions.
