Paramedical students protest issuing of 'false' certificates

From a Correspondent

JORHAT, May 4: Students of a paramedical institute in Jorhat on Wednesday created a ruckus in the office-cum-institute campus of the Central Institute of Para Medical Technologies situated atop the New Medical building at AT Road for allegedly distributing fake laboratory technician course completion certificates without valid registration numbers. The students who were protesting against the arrest of the owner of the Institute, Ranjit Barua, later lodged an FIR with the Jorhat police. Police intervention only saved the institute from being ransacked.

A section of the protesting students while talking to The Sentinel said, “We had taken admission in the two-year laboratory technician course and deposited Rs 4,500 as admission fees, besides paying Rs 800 per month as monthly fees. Despite being promised of practical classes at the JMCH (Jorhat Medical College and Hospital) we never got a chance to visit the college and the authorities kept coming up with one excuse after the other.”

Another female student said, “We searched the internet to see the authenticity of the certificates which claimed affiliation to Vishwakarma Open Paramedical University for Self Employment having office at New Delhi but to our utter dismay this came out to be fake and only on more verification did we find that the registration number given in the certificate is in reality the cell phone number of the owner Ranjit Barua. We went to the police at the first instance but they refused to lodge the case and it was only after we moved the court through advocates that the Jorhat police actually registered a case.”

Noted citizens of the town have, however, criticized the District Health Society headed by the Deputy Commissioner who is incidentally the chairman, for failing to check the mushrooming growth of such illegal institutions. Others took the mes of other private but genuine institutes imparting education for the post of technicians by first getting affiliated under government run Sankardev Medical University and pointed fingers at the office of the Jorhat District Health Department and its corrupt officers of taking bribe before providing permission to such institutes for playing with the lives of the educated unemployed youths of the State.

Meanwhile, last minute confirmation from police sources informed about the forms for the FIR to have been duly filled up and awaiting the nod of the Officer in-charge of the Jorhat Police station till the filing of the report. But other sources have disclosed about owner Ranjit Barua to have absconded after more than 50 deprived students created turmoil in the institute.