Students seek compensation from IBooks

BHUBANESWAR: The students, who had taken admission in IBooks College, have decided to seek compensation from the management of the college. After the IBooks College ran into trouble over issue of affiliation and two of its officials were arrested, the parents of the students on Saturday resolved that they will seek justice in various fora. They would go to the consumer redressal forum as well as child welfare council.Each of the 39 students, who had taken admission, had paid close to ` 2 lakh for  two years, which included an express one-year Plus-Two and another year of coaching for all-India entrance tests. When the results of Plus-Two examination were declared recently, they found out that just five students had cleared the tests.  “Our children have lost a year of academics which will affect their career. We must be suitably compensated,” said a guardian.Two days ago, police arrested Satyasai Panigrahy and Sidheswar Panigrahy, two top officials of IBooks College, after the parents lodged complaints of cheating. After the results were announced, the parents had done some background check and found out that the college did not have any board’s affiliation to issue certificates.In fact, the IBooks College management had stated that they had secured affiliation of National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), which turned out to be a body which offered Plus-Two on distant mode to students on an individual basis. “When we contacted NIOS, the officials said the institute does not give affiliation to any college for such courses,” said Surendra Senapati, a parent. Interestingly, NIOS offered Plus-Two on distant mode for a fee of `750, which covered the course materials and examination at a study centre.However, what IBooks College management had done was it submitted application of each of the 39 students individually using a common sender’s address. When the course materials reached the college three months before the examination, the same were distributed among the students. However, the college had taught different subjects to the students all along the year as a result of which the students found it difficult to adapt to the changed curriculum. Since IBooks is a reputed coaching centre, the parents fell for the Plus-Two College without verifying the details of its affiliation.