PUDUCHERRY: Pondicherry University will extend 25 per cent reservation to the local students for all courses after getting the nod from the University Grants Commission (UGC), vice chancellor (in charge) Prof Anisa B Khan said here on Monday.
Addressing the reporters, she said the executive council of the university had approved the proposal for reservation to the local students and send it to the MHRD and UGC. She added that the University had send two reminders to the UGC as a follow up of the matter.
The university has been offering 25%reservation for the local students in some of the Post Graduate courses, i.e. for 18 courses out of a total of 56.It was in 1997, after the initiative taken by Prof A Gnanam, the then Vice-Chancellor, the University provided 25% reservation in some of the P G courses offered by it.
Revealing that PU has been ranked third among the 100 institutions of Higher learning India, by National Institute Ranking Framework (NIFR) introduced by MHRD last year, she said PU is ranked 8thamong the central Universities and first among the “Affiliating Universities.”
The vice chancellor said University will begin “cashless admission” for Scheduled Caste/Scheduled tribe students who are admitted to various Post Graduate and Ph D Programmes. Explaining she said the SC/ST students can make payment of fee after they receive from the government.
She informed that the Union Ministry of Social justice has agreed to sanction 2.8 crores for construction of boys and girls hostel for SC/ST/OBC students.
Dr Anisa B Khan said the student’s scholarship system is streamlined by merging the Free-ship with Merit-cum-Means scholarship by awarding three types of merit scholarship based on the ranking. The amount per month will be Rs 2000 (rank 1), Rs 1500 (rank 2) and Rs 1000 (rank 3).
As a measure to encourage the students of social science courses, scholarship will be awarded on par with the M Sc integrated students, she added.
The vice chancellor said the Wi-Fi project undertaken by the University, started in October last year, will be completed by the month of May.
She said the installation of solar panels is being undertaken in a phased manner and the process will be completed in five years time for achieving self sufficiency in electricity consumption.
The university has installed solar energy operated reading desk cum mobile charger at five different locations in the University, she said.
The working hours of both Central Library and Reading Hall at the Library annex is extended up to 12 midnight for the benefit of students, she added.
Dr Khan said the university has planned to conduct the convocation for students of 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 after the conduct of elections.
As part of the digitalindia initiative of the Government of India, the university will complete digitization of degree certificates and paper-free application process, she informed.
A five year M Sc Integrated student, Department of Chemistry got DST-DFG award to avail once in a life time opportunity to meet and interact with 70 Nobel laureates when they congregate in Germany.
Dr Anis B Khan said PU has agreed to work in collaboration with Rusan Pharma and is proposed to enter MoU with Navin Saxena Research Technology Centre (NSRT), Gujarat in association with Clinical Research Organization – Quest Care and a specialized manufacturing unit for transdermal patches at the Kandla Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Gujarat for collaborative research projects.
She also revealed that PU is proposed to sign MoU with the following institutions: Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS), Ministry of AYUSH, Arumbakkam, Chennai; National Maritime Foundation (NMF), New Delhi and Asia Fellow Association (AAS), New Delhi; Indian Coast Guard; Agricultural University, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Sorbonne University, Lyon 2, France; University of Ontario. Canada; University of Denver, USA
She said PU has submitted annual report and annual accounts for the year 2014-2015 to the parliament.