Memorandum sent on 26.08.2009 to Minister for Human Resource Development, Government of India:
We would like to draw the attention of Your Authority, on the proposal of Pondicherry University Vice-chancellor to phase out the Degree Courses successfully conducted by Community College in Puducherry.
It is known to one and all that the Community College is offering various Degree, Diploma and Certificate Courses. Of all the Courses, the Degree Course offered in Computer Science (B.SC., I.T.; B.SC. Computer Science; Bachelor of Computer Application), Science Course (B.Sc. Bio-Chemistry; B.Sc. Bio-Technology; B.SC. Micro-Biology) and Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) were more viable Courses which have employable potential.
The students from poor economic background residing in rural regions of Puducherry and villages lying on the peripheral region of Tamilnadu adjoining Puducherry are benefited out of this Course.
These Courses are self-financing Courses; the total cost is collected from the students. It is being offered at a relatively much lesser cost without even single paisa either from Puducherry or Central Government. These Courses are being conducted in private institutions in
Puducherry where a huge amount is being collected by means of Fee, besides Donation or Capitation Fee. Hence the students are being attracted by the Community College, for taking up the said Courses.
Presently the Vice-chancellor has taken a decision that these Degree Courses would be phased out in from next year onwards, on the pretext that these Courses are offered in deviation to the Objectives of the Community College.
It is not so because the Community College in addition to its Objectives, it offer these Degree Courses which was appreciated by the UGC Chairman Dr. Sukhadeo Thorat, who visited Puducherry in recent months and sanctioned some Six Crores of Rupees for constructing a building and also sanctioned 13 Teaching Posts.
Since, the Puducherry students are covered by Community College, the Government of Puducherry offered its own building and vacant site adjoining the said building. At the same time the Government of Puducherry has not started these courses in proportion to its need, because of the fact that these Courses are taught by Community College.
At this juncture we point out that the decision to close down these Courses is unjustifiable and poor students of Puducherry will severely be affected. This move would surely help the Private College to flourish well and raise their fee structure to undesired level and this standardised education at a relatively lesser fee would become unavailable to the poor students.
The Community College have already winded up Diploma Courses in Cardiology, Radiology, Sanitation, Dietics and Nutrition, Food and Beverages, Foot wear Technology which were highly job oriented. In the queue of the above winded up Course the Vice-chancellor wants to add Computer, Business Management and Applied Science Courses in the guise of upholding the Community College concept.
On economic point of view also, the University is not going to save money by winding up these Courses. In fact, University is going to lose its financial income derived from these Courses as it run on self financing basis and has brought a savings of about Two Crore Rupees as corpus fund till date. The Concept or Objectives of any College will be no way is deviated, by offering additional Courses.
It would be quite interesting that the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) have started English Literature and Courses on Social Sciences such as Economics. In this context does the Vice-chancellor mean to say that the IIT has deviated from its Objectives? No comprehensive definition is sufficient to sanctify the decision of the Vice-chancellor and to play havoc in the life of student’s community with poor economic background.
Hence, we kindly request your authority to intervene and take appropriate steps to retain and continue the potentially viable Courses capable of putting them in Employment and Higher Education. We trust and hope that the legitimate rights of the people of Puducherry will be protected by Your Authority.
The same was also sent to UGC Chairman, The Lt. Governor, The Chief Minister, The Education Minister, The Chief Secretary, The Secretary (Education) of Government of Puducherry.
Leave a Reply