MYSURU: Lending a hand of support amidst the raging pandemic, the century-old University of Mysore (UoM) has decided to offer free seats for students who have lost an earning member in the family to Covid-19.With an intent to ensure that every student gets access to higher education and do not discontinue their studies owing to the death of the sole breadwinner of the family, the university syndicate, at a meeting, gave its nod to offer free seats in various under-graduate and post-graduate programmes in its constituent colleges and PG campuses in the region.
University of Mysore syndicate member Dr E C Ningaraja Gowda, who got to know that many students were on the verge of discontinuing their higher education after losing their parent/parents to Covid-19, raised the issue during the syndicate meeting. University of Mysore will now provide five free seats for children of Covid-19 victims to take up under-graduate programmes and three seats for post-graduate courses.
“Five free seats each will be reserved at the varsity constituent colleges — Maharaja’s College, Yuvaraja College, Evening College and Fine Arts College. Similarly, three free seats will be reserved for PG courses at our Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan and Chamarajanagar PG campuses. These seats will be given to those eligible and who have lost the earning member in the family and will be distributed on merit basis,” Vice-Chancellor of University of Mysore, Prof G Hemantha Kumar, said.
“I had sought the varsity authorities to provide free seats to poor students and those coming from economically weaker families from the region who had lost their parents to Covid. The varsity, which has contributed in many ways in the fight against the pandemic, has acceded to my request,” Gowda said.