Sikkim HRD minister RB Subba on Saturday held a meeting with the directors of different sections of the HRDD to take stock of the recent molestation case of one Sikkimese girl student at Eklavya Super 50 Coaching centre in Patna in which the accused, an ex-IRS officer, Ram Babu Gupta has been taken into custody.
In a detailed and deliberated discussion in the meeting in presence of all the directors, the district Joint Directors and Principals of the schools from where students have sought admission in the Eklavya Super 50 Coaching Centre, many facts have come to fore.
Tashi Tshering, the State Coordinator of the Eklavya Super 50 in Sikkim accompanied by Ram Babu and one TT Bhutia, a government employee working with the department of Cooperation approached several schools for counselling in order to get the student admitted in Eklavya Super 50 in Patna.
It was found that students who had joined the coaching centre voluntarily took transfer certificates from their schools and did not even try to contact the HRDD regarding the institute.
About 32 students from Sikkim have sought admission in the coaching centre of which 28 are from the government schools. The school Principals mentioned that they had told the students and their parents to validate the authenticity of the coaching centre before taking the admission. However, they went on their own will.
It was also learnt that the victim and her parents have approached the additional chief secretary of HRDD and elaborated the matter. He has also assured the victim of taking suitable measures.
The meeting resolved that no private players would be allowed to conduct any counselling in the government schools without permission from the authority concerned.
The HRDD will initiate a proposal to establish NEET, JEE, AIEEE and such other areas of higher studies within the state so that the students need not go out of the state.
The HRDD will also explore possibilities of disciplinary action against those government employees associated with the Eklavya Super 50.
The HRDD will issue an advisory informing the students admitted at the Eklavya Super 50 to come back and join their respective schools in Sikkim. It is learnt that of the 28 students 17 want to continue at Patna and 11 want to come back.
The HRDD, however, wants all the students to come back to state.
HRDD Minister RB Subba appealed to all the parents and the students that they should be vigilant and careful while choosing such institutions in order to pursue their studies.