Lalas law college puts students careers at stake

Updated on: Friday, July 29, 2011

Ashish Desai's (not his real name) dream of pursuing a career in law has come to an abrupt halt. For no fault of his.

The law student of Lala Lajpat Rai College, Haji Ali had gone to seek admission to the third year, but was told to take admission to another law college. "The office staff told me that admission is no longer provided," said Desai. "I asked them the reason, but they failed to provide any reply."

Admission to other law colleges like Government Law College, Kishinchand Chellaram College and Mithibai College are on in full swing. Lala Lajpat Rai College, however, has not even started issuing admission forms.

Sources said that from this academic year, the college is shutting down its LLB course, which was started in 2004. And its 100-odd students enrolled at the college have now been told to take admissions elsewhere, leaving their careers in the lurch.

"When I met the principal, she said it was a 'management decision' to shut down the law course," said Desai. "She told me some 'settlement' will be worked out with other colleges so that all students get admission."

Principal of Lala Lajpat Rai College's law course, Sharda Gupta's replies were ambiguous. Asked about how many admission forms had been issued, Gupta said, "So far no student has approached us for admission. When they do, we will give admission."

She attributed this to the delay in declaration of Third Year Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) results. "There has been a delay in the BCom results due to which we have put the admission process on hold," Gupta said.

Asked about admissions to second and third year courses, she said the students had not come to take admission. "Some students are out of town, a few others have taken a no-objection certificate from the college," Gupta told Mumbai Mirror late on Wednesday evening. "Those who have been allowed to keep terms in three subjects are not eligible to take admission for the next year."

However, a student who has been allowed to keep terms said, "We will have to clear our subjects from the same college. So why are they not giving us admission?"
A senior lecturer from another law college said the news of the closure of the law college could be true. "I probed into matter when students from that college came with complaints. Seems the law stream at Lala’s is indeed shutting down."

VARSITY KEPT IN DARK?

University of Mumbai in-charge Registrar, M S Khurade, said he was not aware of any such closure of the law college at Lala Lajpat Rai. "I'm not aware, and cannot comment on this matter," said Khurade.

Phone calls made and text message sent to Vice-Chancellor Rajan Welukar went unanswered. Welukar refused to meet this reporter in person.

EVASIVE REPLIES

Incidentally, when Mumbai Mirror contacted Gupta on the college landline at 2.30 pm on Wednesday, she said, "I do not want to comment on this over the phone. I will talk only in person." When Mumbai Mirror agreed to meet her personally, Gupta was evasive. "My meeting time is between 11am and 2pm. Now, it's too late for today. Anyway, I'm working overtime." It was only when Mumbai Mirror said it would take up the matter with the university authorities that Gupta called up in the evening.

Lalas law college puts students careers at stake

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