BENGALURU: The postgraduate courses offered by Bangalore University that have very less takers might be scrapped from the next academic year. Considering the single digit admissions to some of the postgraduate courses during the 2017-18 academic year, the university authorities are thinking of scrapping such courses and constituted a syndicate sub-committee to look into the issue and submit a report.
According to the authorities, a syndicate sub-committee was formed during the recent syndicate meeting. Prof H N Ramesh, in-charge vice-chancellor of the university, said, “We are waiting for the syndicate sub-committee report to take a final decision on scrapping courses that are no more attractive to students.”
The committee has been assigned the job of examining the status of admissions to postgraduate courses even at affiliated colleges. “Along with admission status and course-wise details, we have asked the committee to look into whether the affiliated colleges have followed roster and maintained merit while giving admissions,” said Ramesh.
After admissions to postgraduate courses for 2017-18 academic year was completed, it was found that some of the courses had failed to attract the requisite number of students. To fill the seats, the university conducted two rounds of admissions during the current academic year. Even after the second round, some courses continued to have just a handful of students.
According to a senior official of the university, it is better to scrap the courses instead of wasting resources. “There are courses and departments that have very few students. We have been forced to provide faculty members and facilities for such courses. Once we get the report from the committee, the same will be placed before the syndicate for further decision,” said the official. As per the data available, postgraduate courses in Sanskrit, French, Spanish, audiology had less than 10 students even after the second round of admissions. “If we continue to offer these courses, it will really be a burden on the university. As per our observation, the admissions for these courses are fewer because the job market is down,” added the official.
Meanwhile, officials are also discussing the possibility of freezing admissions to these courses for a year, instead of scrapping them completely. “We are also discussing freezing of admissions for a few years or to provide the course based on the number of applications we receive each year,” the official said.
Unlike PG courses, diploma or certificate courses for French and Spanish still have a demand. “Students prefer to join certificate courses because of the shorter duration (10 months) to complete the course,” mentioned a faculty of the Foreign Language department.