PU to hold entrance test for 23K BEd seats in Punjab

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 22

Panjab University (PU) has been conducting BEd entrance test for about 23,000 seats in 215 colleges of Punjab.

There are 62 colleges affiliated to the PU, 102 to Punjabi University, Patiala, and 51 to Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar. BEd is required to teach at the school level.

“This time, the passing marks in the entrance test has been enhanced from 15% to 25% for the general category. For the reserved category, it will be now 20% while last year, it was just 10%,” said Associate Professor Jatinder Grover, coordinator for the entrance test.

“There will be two counselling sessions for admission and the process will be completed in a month. The shifting of seats will be allowed during the second counselling only,” said Grover.

Method to fill management quota seats

The Punjab Government in its notification, dated April 17, says that as per the Supreme Court judgment in the TMA Pai Foundation case and interim policy regulations, dated June 10, 2003, issued by the University Grants Commission, 15% seats out of 85% state quota in unaided private self-financing institutions should be treated as management quota seats. These seats will be brought out of the purview of centralised counselling by the PU.

But the management quota seats will be filled only after the second round of counselling. Each institute has to publish an advertisement, in two papers, mentioning the seats against the subject-wise combinations offered. These management quota seats will be filled on the basis of the merit list of applicants. There will be no reservation in the management quota.

“This time there is a condition that the advertisement could be brought only after the second round of counselling otherwise the admission process of that college will be cancelled,” said Grover.

Last year scenario

In the previous year, the PU had to conduct two entrance tests as thousands of seats were vacant. The matter went to the High Court also. In BEd colleges, seats are more but the number of applicants are less. Last year, despite two entrance tests, about 3,000 seats remained vacant.

The HC had commented: “We are also of the view that there are neither sufficient jobs available nor there any necessity for sanctioning so many BEd seats. The NCTE appears to have sanctioned wholesome seats especially in favour of self-financed private colleges without realising future consequences, including non-availability of sufficient jobs for BEd- qualified candidates.”

The court had then directed the NCTE Chairman as well as the Principal Secretary, Education Department, Punjab, to hold a joint meeting and review the sanctioned intake of BEd seats in Punjab. But the seats have remained the same.

Dates to remember

Last date for submission of information  online to generate challan June 20

Last date for depositing fee June 22

Date of availability of admit card July 1

Entrance test July 5

Results July 11

Online choice filling for colleges July 12

Allocation of seats July 22