D.J. College controversy takes new turn after govt transfers principal.

KARACHI -- The controversy surrounding the D.J. Science College took another turn when the Sindh government transferred Professor Meher Mangi from the post of college principal, it emerged on Tuesday.

The decline in fresh admissions in the college, proposal of setting up government offices on the premises and now the transfer of the college principal set alarm bells ringing in the quarters concerned, who found the development mysterious and a hint of conspiracy against the educational institution.

Prof Mangi, being the college principal, had noticed and blew the whistle on admissions at the historic educational institution happening against merit.

The decision came at a time when recently Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah ordered an inquiry into an 85 per cent decline in fresh admissions in D.J. Science College after opposition parties termed it a conspiracy to set up government offices inside the city's oldest and one of the prestigious educational institutions.

In a recent letter to college education dept, Prof Mangi highlighted admissions against merit in prestigious institution

The department of college education has issued the orders for Prof Mangi to work under the principal of grade 19 in the Jinnah Government College despite his belonging to grade 20.

Prof Mangi has been replaced at D.J. College by former acting Director General-Colleges and the current Director-Finance Prof Rashid Mahar, who was recently promoted to Grade 20. His fresh appointment as the college principal has been signed by the Sindh chief secretary, who also issued the transfer order of Prof Mangi.

A few days ago, Prof Mangi had written to the department of college education that admissions in the newly started Computer Science faculty in his college were being given to students who got 'C', 'D' and 'E' grades in their matriculation exams.

It is for the first time in the history of D.J. Science College that admissions have been given to students with mediocre and low grades.

According to the outgoing principal's letter, only 12 'A-1' grade students, 11 'A' grade students and 19 'B' grade students got admission in the Faculty of Computer Science, which had 106 admissions. Meanwhile, 34 students with a 'C' grade and 26 with 'D' grade were admitted.

Only last week, Education Minister Sardar Shah told Dawn that...