Final quot;noquot; to BEd course

Though Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr Naresh Chandra confirms the telephonic message, he says the university is awaiting a formal communication from the council. 8220;In any case, we have called for an urgent meeting of the Board of Studies to salvage the crisis,8221; he adds. In the meantime, the course continues for the current academic year, though de-recognition means both state and central government departments and aided educational institutions are not bound to give it any credence under Section 174 of the NCTE Act.

The sparring began when the NCTE, a statutory body set up by an act of Parliament to achieve planned and coordinated development of teacher education and to ensure adherence to specified norms, had de-recognised both part-time and vacation BEd courses in several institutes in various parts of the state in February this year.

8220;The NCTE recognises only two types of education, face-to-face, one-year, full-time BEd courses or distance education. There is no room for any third typelike the part-time, vacation and summer courses,8221; Dr Ahuja explains.However, the university has consistently claimed that admissions had commenced by the time it was intimated though Dr Ahuja maintains this was not so. 8220;We have records to prove that we have been intimating the university since February 6 besides having issued a public notice in a national newspaper on June 3. When they the university were given the opportunity to represent their cause, they did not bother to appear or respond otherwise.8221;

Comes Dr Chandra8217;s strange reply: 8220;The university did receive letters from the NCTE but at that time the authorities were not aware of it.8221; With the course already underway, the university issued a notification to the six colleges in August, suggesting that they secure an undertaking from the students saying they were aware of the course8217;s de-recognition and that they were continuing with it at their own risk. Those who wanted to opt out would be refunded their fee. When the problem refused tosubside, the WRC met principals of the six institutes on October 7, with the council agreeing to re-consider its decision. However, on November 12, NCTE finally decided to stick to its original decision.

But that does not resolve the students8217; dilemma. Dr K Bhatia, principal of the Bombay Teachers8217; Training College at Colaba, feels the NCTE is to blame for the mess. 8220;They should have notified us at the end of last year as admission in most colleges is over latest by March.8221;

However, Dr Ahuja counters: 8220;Even if some colleges are through with the admission process, students could still have been refunded their fee as was done by the Y B Chavan Open University this year for their distance education course as they were yet to get recognition for their course.8221;Dr Bhatia says none of the students in any of the six colleges have neither given an undertaking nor opted out of the course though some of the institutes plan to move court. Some students, meanwhile, have already gone to court to seek redressal.