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| EDUCATION TRIBUNE | Tuesday, September 16, 2003, Chandigarh, India |
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CET mother of all ills Core issue resolved, yet
battlelines remain drawn
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CET mother of all ills ARE the universities to be blamed for “downgrading” their own degrees having introduced the system of combined entrance tests (CET) for admission into professional colleges? Are other entrance tests for admission to various courses and classes justified? Are these tests responsible for forcing students to take tuitions in private coaching academies that have virtually ousted the classroom teaching? These questions are a subject of concern among university and college teachers. Yet, nothing tangible is being done to correct distortions in higher education, as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines. As a consequence of introduction of CETs, for the past decade or so, the trend is that the students now seek admission into colleges only for the purpose of “attendance” while they actually spend time in private coaching academies preparing for CET. And why not? This is because the syllabi for the annual examinations, which the students take at the end of regular classroom teaching, is totally different from that of CET. Also, students know that ultimately only the marks obtained in CET will matter for admission into professional colleges — medical and engineering — and not the marks secured in the annual examinations at the end of regular classroom teaching. Thus, students’ interest is just “attendance” and to score the minimum “qualifying” marks in the final examinations to enable them to appear in CET. Entrance tests are as much a source of income for the universities and colleges as for the private coaching academies that impart CET-centric coaching. Who is to blame, if higher education has been reduced to a a commodity? Why can the syllabi not for the annual examinations at the end of the regular classroom teaching and CET be the same. Has CET gained ascendency over university examinations and degrees? Should there be CETs at all? Since CET is a money-spinner, it is here to stay. And faced with the financial crunch, universities and colleges have few options, what if classroom teaching stands affected. Also, the government is gradually withdrawing financial support to the universities, expecting them to become self-financing. Thus, the entrance tests, which also entail costly prospectus and high fee, are distancing students of middle-class from higher education, which is becoming out of reach of the “common” students. The Panjab University Syndic, Prof. Charanjit Chawla says: “CET and entrance tests are largely responsible for making a mockery of higher education”. And there are several UGC’s guidelines concerning teachers and students that are not being followed by the universities and colleges in letter and spirit. To this erosion of authority, UGC is a “helpless, mute spectator”. In fact, unlike Panjab University, the other universities at Amritsar and Patiala do not have an “elected” Senate and Syndicate. Will the universities restore the prestige of their degrees or let CET prevail? |
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Core issue resolved, yet
battlelines remain drawn
IN an irony of sorts, the agitation at Punjabi University continues even after the core issue has been solved. Though students have expressed satisfaction at the gesture of the Punjab Government which has now increased the fee hike in general courses on the campus only six per cent more than last year’s fee, other problems remain. Despite no obvious difference between the two sides, student leaders continue to be suspended and departments which had lent the maximum support to the strike remain closed. The authorities and the students have drawn imaginary battle lines with students more to blame for the breakdown of the second round of talks conducted by Deputy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh. Teachers feel the issue could have been resolved if the Vice-Chancellor had talked to the agitating students at the early stages of the agitation. They say the issue could have been resolved even after the VC was heckled if the authorities had indicated that it was ready for give and take. As far as students are concerned many teachers feel there is not much difference in “regret” and “apology”. They say the refusal of students to do so has led credence to the fact that they are being controlled by certain political parties. The authorities are not making matters better by insisting on a bureaucratic approach. Suspended students have been asked to appear before a high-powered committee being chaired by the Dean, Academics, Prof U.C. Singh, who will decide their fate. Ironically, Prof U.C. Singh is credited with leading the agitation against former Vice-Chancellor Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia during the course of which he and other members of the joint action committee sat on an indefinite dharna outside the office of the Vice-Chancellor and barricaded the main gates. Prof U.C. Singh and others were rewarded with prime posts for this “misconduct” in the post-Ahluwalia dispensation. Now they will try the student leaders charged with similar offences. |
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ADMISSION DEADLINE Armed Forces Sep 20 HQ Rajasthan & Gujrat Frontier, Border Security Force, Mandore Road, Jodhpur (Raj). Recruitment of Sportsmen Constable (GD; Male) Elig: Matric; Age: 18-23 yrs. Details: Employment News (Sep 6-12) Engineering National Institute of Technology, Jamshedpur 831014, (Jharkhand) 1) MTech (2-yr): Metallurgy (Extractive; Foundry Tech); Elect Engg (Power Sys); Mech Engg (Comp Integr Des & Mfg); Chem (Surface Sc & Engg). Oct 10 2) MCA (3-yr) Elig: For 1: BE/ BTech or MSc Phys with Chem & Maths at Bachelor’s or MSc Chem with Phys & Maths at Bachelor’s or Degree in Chem/ Mech/ Metallurg Engg (last only for admission to MTech Chem) For 2: Bachelor’s Deg (50%; with Maths/ Stats at Bachelor’s) or BSc (Hons) Maths/ Stats. Selectn: For 1: Interview (Sep 29); For 2: Entrance Exam (Nov 23) Appln F: For 1: Report for interview; For 2: Send Rs 500/- by DD favouring "Director, NIT, Jamshedpur" payable at Jamshedpur, at the above add. Management Sep 23 Pajas Infopath India Ltd, D-31, South Extn-1, New Delhi 110049 (IIT, Bombay) www.pajasindia.org Cert in Mktg Mgt (in asscn with IIT, Bombay; 1-yr, alt wknds.) Appln F: Website. Oct 31 University of Delhi, Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi-110007 www.fms.edu (1) MBA (FT, 2-yr) Elig: Bachelor’s degree (Arts/ Com/ Soc Sc: 50%; Sciences: 55%; Maths/ Stats: 60%; Med/ Engg/ Tech: 60%/ CGPA of 6.00 in scale of 10.00).Selectn: Test(Jan 18 ‘04). Appln F: Send Rs. 575/- by DD favouring "Registrar University of Delhi" drawn on SBI Service Br (Code No. 7687)toTheAdministrative Officer at the above add or download from web.Details: Website. Nov 14 Asian Institute of Management, (Philippines) India Rep Office, 522, Maker Chamber V, 5th Fl., 221, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021 www.aim.edu.ph 1) Master in Bus Admin (MBA, 2-yr) 2) Master in Mgt (MM, 11-mth) Elig: For 1) Bachelor’s Deg with 2-yr wk ex, Age: 22 yrs For 2) Bachelor’s Deg with 6-yr wk ex, Age: 28 yrs . For 3) UG Deg, 6-yr wk ex (3-yr in Supervisory), with knowledge of written/spoken Eng. Selectn: Entrance test (Nov 16; at M ‘bai, Del, Kol, Chennai, Sec ‘bad & B ‘lore). Appln F: Send Rs 2,500/- by DD favouring "AIM Alumni Association India" (mention name & prog on rev), letter with postal add, choice of test centre & 2 pics to above add by Oct 10. Details: Website. Dec 1 IMT, Raj Nagar, Hapur Road, Ghaziabad-201001 (UP) OR 603, Khullar Apartment, Byramji Town, Nagpur 440013 (Mah) www.imt.edu a.. PG Dip in Business Mgt (2-yr) b.. PG Dip in Comp Appln (3-yr) c.. PG Dip in HRM (2-yr) d.. PG Dip in Business Mgt (3-yr; PT) e.. PG Dip in Intnl Business (2-yr) Elig: For 1-5: Bachelor’s degree; For 2: Maths at 10+2; For 4: 2-yr wk exp. Selectn: Entrance Test (Dec 28). Appln F: Send Rs 1000/- by DDfavouring"Institute of ManagementTechnology", payable at Ghaziabad with 2 self-add (with tel no.) stickers or register online.Details: Website. Dec 10 Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar www.ximb.ac.in a.. PG Dip (Bus Mgt/Rural Mgt; 2-yr FT b.. Fellow Prog in Mgt c.. PGDBM (3-yr, PT) Selectn: XAT (Jan 4 ‘04), IRMA, Research Aptitutde Test. Details: Website. Dec 20 Goa Institute of Management, Ribandar, Goa 403006 www.gim.ac.in PG Dip (Bus Mgt/Rural Mgt; 2-yr FT Elig: Bachelor’s deg (50%) Selectn: XAT (Jan 4 ‘04; register at www.xlri.edu/xat); GD; Interview. Appln F: Download from GIM website. Details: Website. Jan 31 Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS), PB No. 7, Purulia Rd, Ranchi 834001 www.xiss-ranchi.org PG Courses (in Personnel Mgt/ Rural Mgt/ Info Mgt). Elig: Bachelor’s Deg. Selectn: XAT (Jan 4 ‘04)/ MAT (Dec 7 ‘03 & Feb 2 ‘04) scores, Viva-Voice. Appln F: Send Rs 500/- by DD favouring "Xavier Institute of Social Service" payable at Ranchi indicating Course name/ download from website by 22 Jan ‘04.Details: Website. Medicine Sep 18 Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, M-671, Sec 26, Chandigarh 0172-791760 BHMS Elig: 10+2 (med subj), CET (PU, May 2003) Appln F: Contact Principal at above add. Sep 19 Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak (Har) MPharm (Indl Pharm) (At MsU, GJU, Hisar & 3 other colleges) Appln F: Send Rs 650/- by crossed DD favouring "Finance Officer, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak" payable at Rohtak to the Dept of Pharm Sc at above add. Services Sep 15 Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force www.itbpolice.nic.in Recruitment of Constables (Gen Duty; 1400 posts) Jharkhand, Bihar, UP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Haryana, Delhi. Elig: Cl.10 Details: Employment News (Sep 6 - 12)/ Website. Recruitment Oct 4 Oriental Bank of Commerce, Harsha Bhawan, E-Block, Connaught Place, New Delhi- 110 001 Recruitment of Managers/ Officers (240 posts) Details: Employment News (Sep 6 - 12)/ Website.Sep 19 M/o Social Justice & Empowerment, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi 110001 www.socialjustice.nic.in For Disabled with orthopaedic, visual, hearing, low vision, cerebral palsy etc for pursuing PhD/ MPhil, PG/ UG Courses in Engg, Med/ Agri/ Vet Sc/ IT/ Biotech/ Educn/ Mgt/Arch/ Physio/ Music etc and Dip & Cert level courses Elig: 1) Indian students of Cl 10/ 12 or higher exam with disabilities certified under Persons with Disabilities Act 1995, or 2) no prev scholarship, 3) family income below Rs 15,000p m Appln F: Send in prescribed format and specified enclosures to Sh R. Radhakrishnan, Dy Secy, at the above add.Details: Web. Oct 8 M/o HRD (D/o Sec & Hr Educn, Scholarships Divn, GoI), ES. 4 Section, A-1/W-3, Curzon Rd Barracks, KG Mg, New Delhi 110001 www.education.nic.in Commonwealth Scholarship (Med (UK), Engg & Tech, Sc (Pure & Appld), Agri & Alld fields, Humanities & Soc Sc) Details: Website. Oct 14 State Institute of Education, Sec 32-C, Chandigarh National Talent Search Preliminary Exam 2004 Elig: Cl 10 (65% in Class 9). Selectn: Written Test Appln F: Contact Head of your school fror details. Oct 15 All- India Council for Technical Education, (AICTE), Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, I.P.Estate, New Delhi 110002 www.aicte.ernet.in National Doctoral Fellowships (NDF; 50 f’ships)) Details: Website. Schools Feb 15 ‘04 United World Colleges Committee (India), Mahindra Towers, Ground Fl, Worli, Mumbai 400018 www.uwccommindia.net International Baccalaureate Dip Elig: Students of Cl.10/ 11 Appln F: Send 500/- by DD favouring "The United World Colleges Committee (India)" payable at Mumbai with a self-add stamped (Rs 50/-) env (25 x 12 cm)/ Download from Website. Details: Website. University Oct 16 Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla 171 005 MPhil: Eco, Eng, Hin, Hist, Maths, Pol Sc, Geog, Sociol, Psychol, Sanskrit, Comm, Educn, Phys Ed, Bot, Zool, Chem, Phys, Music, Public Admin LLM Elig: Merit in qualifying exam Selectn: Interview on Oct 21. Appln F: Send Rs. 160/- by DD favouring "Finance Officer, HP University, Shimla" to above add. Vocational Sep 26 National Vocational Training Institute for Women, D-1, Sec 1, NOIDA 201 301. (M/o Labour, DGE & T, GoI) Home Mgt (8 wks) Elig: Cl 8 Details: Contact Principal at above add. Languages Central Institute of English & Foreign Languages, Hyderabad 500007 www.ciefl.ac.in Sep 30 1) MPhil (Eng) (2-yr, Corresp) 2) PG Dip in Tchg of Eng (PGDTE) (1-yr, Corresp) Dec 31 3) PG Cert in the Tchg of Eng (PGCTE) (1-yr, Corresp) Elig: For 1): MA Eng (II class), PGCTE? PGDTE (GPA of 3.00).; For 2): PGCTE For 3): MA (Eng) Appln F: Send Rs 200/- by DD favouring "Registrar, CIEFL" payable at Hyderabad to Chairperson, Centre for English Studies, School of Distance Educn, at above add. Pervin Malhotra, Director, CARING (www.careerguidanceindia.com), New Delhi |
