Varsity to decide on computer class strength

MUMBAI, JUNE 11: The issue of the number of students per batch for the University of Mumbai8217;s newly-introduced BSc Computer Science course will be discussed at a special meeting of the Academic Council, to be convened on June 17. The meeting has been called on the basis of a report submitted by a three-member committee of the university, appointed to frame the course and look into the course details. The report recommended that the student strength should be 24.

According to the convenor of the committee, Dr P V Pradhan, the Academic Council members had originally resolved that the strength should be 60 students per batch and a circular was issued on this regard on February 26. Afterwards, the number was reduced to 30 as 60 was found to be too high a number, according to Dr Pradhan, who is also the university8217;s registrar.Later, when the expert committee went through the details provided by the colleges in the affiliation forms about the infrastructure available and also going by the government rulestipulating 15 students per batch for biology and 24 for non-biology subjects, the panel felt 24 students per batch would be the best.

Accordingly, the colleges were intimated. And on this basis, the colleges have started admissions which is now almost drawing to a close. But as the Academic Council is the supreme body in this regard, it will take a final decision on the student strength on June 17, said Dr Pradhan.

Meanwhile, the 24 student-strength batch has not found takers among the student community and several principals, who feel that the number is too low. They have also derided the AC taking a final decision on the student strength when admissions are almost drawing to a close.