Theft, murder, even fraud has often been used by students to arrange money to pay their college fees, but a diploma student of Mechanical engineering at a private polytechnic college decided to embrace a beggar's garb for the purpose. A victim caught between his college and the government, 23-year-old S Ashok took to alms after his college has refused to provide his course completion certificate, without which he cannot appear for upcoming exams.
Saying that the college management has been refusing to provide his course completion certificate in spite of repeated requests, Ashok said that the annual management fee for the course Rs 35,000, and an additional Rs 5,000 for books.
"The college management has been demanding the pending Rs 57,000 as the government has paid the college management only Rs 13,000, the scholarship amount," he said.
Stating that he got admission at the college through an agent, Ashok said he enrolled only after the agent assured him that he need not pay any fees other than for books. Claiming he has paid fees for both years, he added that he has enrolled in a private Arts and Science college for BCom that is asking for his course completion certificate.
Referring to the semester examination that begins on Friday, he said that the college management would not allow him to sit for the examination until he submits the certificate. Citing his family's financial instability, he said that he had no other option than to beg in public.
"I have also sought the intervention of the Collector, and even the officials from Adi Dravidar Welfare Department had directed the college management to provide my course completion certificate, but the management refuses to do so," he added.
Meanwhile, following the incident, sources said, the college management had handed over the course completion certificate along with his class 12 mark sheet and school transfer certificate to Ashok.
Despite several attempts, the college management remained unavailable for the comment.
(This was first published in Express)