HSC students likely to face severe setback

MUMBAI, February 24: The HSC students opting for graduation courses this year onwards are destined for another nightmare. For the number ...

MUMBAI, February 24: The HSC students opting for graduation courses this year onwards are destined for another nightmare. For the number of seats this year are going to go down due to a circular issued by the University of Mumbai. The colleges, mostly aided are financially handicapped to increase divisions to counter shortfall in seats as the circular is issued without any prior sanction by the state government.

According to a circular dated January 7, the principals of colleges of Arts, Science and Commerce affiliated to the university are asked restrict to 100 students only per division from the academic year 1999-2000. This decision in pursuant to a resolution passed by the Academic Council at its meeting held on December 14, last year, is in view of the introduction of the internal assessment sytem in colleges from the academic year 1997-98 and in order to make the class-room teaching more effective, says the circular .

The principal of Bhavan8217;s College, Andheri, D B Kadam explained, 8220;from time to time the university through circulars and directions have allowed colleges to admit as many as 120 students per division to combat the admission pressure. Now this year, if the degree college seats are restricted, many of our own students from junior college have to fend for themselves. 8221;

This is because the state government is in no mood for increase in divisions at this juncture, maintained the Vice President of the ANGC, Principal S G Chitale from H Somani College, Chowpatty. The managements in these days of recession are not in a position to increase divisions sponsored from their pockets. Consequently it will be tougher for the average students passing from the schools and worst for the students opting for science as there is no distance education.

Also, more students have to be forcibly put on to Distance Education courses, pointed out Principal Chitale. As it is last year, record number of 5750 students enrolled for Distance Education8217;s BCom course. Atleast 4000 of them were forced to do it due to deficit of seats in regular colleges, he maintained.

Also, the ATKT Allowed To Keep term which most students get in first year will further complicate the situation, if not this year going by the expectation of certain amount of flexibility in the second year, then certainly next year as it will automatically increase the student strength. As if this is not enough, principal Kadam said, his present BSc first year has 360 students 120 per division in its three divisions. But as per the circular, from this year, the student strength will have to be restricted to 300. Which means the management is saddled with some surplus teachers. Similarly in the science practicals, the restriction will tell upon. Because as of now, except for Botany and Zoology 20 and subsequently 15 25 students in the first batch and 20 students in subequent batches. This will affect going by the restricted number, principals observed.

The Pro Vice Chancellor of the varsity, Dr Naresh Chandra justified the new circular saying, it is in line with the state government8217; directives on the student strength. As for the repurcussions, he has little to offer.

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ANGC members strongly feel that the university should have taken the principals and state government into confidence before issuing such a circular as it involve financial implications and therefore will appeal to the varsity for review of the circular. Mantralaya sources claim that looking at the financial position of the state, an increase in divisions will not be favoured in the light of the circular. The varsity should have had a detail dialogue with the government before issuing such a circular, notwithstanding its consonance with a state government directive on class room strength in the class.