Several irregularities come to fore at Urdu Academy

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Urdu Academy-run computer centres are as good as being closed. Not only do the centres remain closed for weeks at a stretch, students who completed the short-term courses are demanded to pay money for certificates.

The Urdu Academy runs 43 computer training centres and 30 Urdu libraries across the State and none of the centres have been conforming to rules.

Several complaints like-charging Rs 250-Rs 300 for study material that is supposed to be made available for free, instructors dozing off in classrooms, syllabus not being completed and even if completed is done fast without sticking to a timeframe and charging money to issue certificates-have been coming to the fore.

Waheeda Begum, a student who took the course at the Karwan Computer Centre in Hyderabad complained that she was told to pay Rs 100 to get her certificate when she declined she was threatened with severe consequences by the instructors.

Taking cognizance of the growing complaints, the Minority Welfare department earlier this month issued orders to the Academy’s director to handover the centres to the State Minorities Finance Commission.

In spite of the orders, the employees do not seem to have changed their ways. Students were harassed and told to part with money for everything.

The TSUA is spending close to Rs 30 lakh per month in maintaining the computer centres and libraries but the poor were not being benefitted, says Lubna Sarwath of Shausaa Foundation.