Varsity sits on panel proposal, fate of a lakh students in limbo

After colleges' refusal to admit external students, Pune University had promised committee to look into matter

Varsity sits on panel proposal, fate of a lakh students in limbo

After colleges' refusal to admit external students, Pune University had promised committee to look into matter

Six months have passed since the University of Pune (UoP) promised to form a committee to decide the fate of more than a lakh external students, but the promise is still on paper. The controversy over admissions broke out last year when colleges affiliated to the university refused to admit external students stating they could not handle the extra burden of securing admissions and checking exam papers. The colleges wanted UoP to do away with the system of external students and form distance learning councils, which the varsity was reluctant to do.

Unmoved: The file on the panel is awaiting the sign of the UoP
Vice-Chancellor for the last two months. file Pic

Instead, UoP promised a committee to look into these issues and said that for the academic year 2011-2012, admissions of external students be continued and the committee would come up with a solution from 2012-2013 onwards.

"The UoP decided to form a three member committee. But such a committee is yet to be formed," said Vasudev Gade, director of Board of College and University Development (BCUD). He said the names of members on the committee was decided but the Vice-Chancellor had not signed the file, which was pending for the last couple of months.

"External students need to work for various reasons and to support their academic interests this system was developed. But colleges are also facing problems, as sometimes the number of external students is more than the regular students. The onus of conducting examinations for these students is also on colleges," said Gajanan Ekbote, a senior senate member.

Senate members were also concerned that any new policy decision would require at least six months to be implemented. "I hope it's not too late by the time the varsity takes a decision or confusion will prevail," said a senate member. Students said they felt cheated because of the varsity's inertia.

Siddharth Sharma, currently studying law as an external student, said if the college refused to take him next year, it would put an end to his ambition of becoming a lawyer. Pankaj Shastri, another student doing his MA in politics, said that he would quit studies if the confusion prevailed. "I have to work to support my mother. I hope the university takes a considerate view of students like us," he said.