Public admn, pharmacy, law courses of PU in demand

Akashdeep Virk
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 1
Some popular courses of Panjab University have seen applications over 10 times the number of sanctioned seats. The number of applications for the MA (Public Administration) course is 20 times the seats offered.
The Department of Public Administration, which has 60 seats for Masters in Public Administration, has received 1,144 applications. Unlike LLB, MBA or other courses, MA (Public Administration) is not a professional course, but is quite popular among students preparing for the UPSC Civil Services as well as state services examinations. “The course is very relevant across different sectors. The subjects, which students study during their MA here, such as Indian administration, Constitution, disaster management, civic issues, governance, working of NGOs, etc are beneficial for students who want to join civil services, armed forces and even social work,” said Dr Bharati, chairperson of the Department of Public Administration. The students also get an opportunity to intern with the Indian Institute of Public Administration, Delhi; Punjab State Information Commission, Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration and various NGOs across the state and the UT.

The Dean, University Instructions, Prof Rumina Sethi, said, “Panjab University has been accredited with A++ Grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council. Recently, it has been given the highest grading as a Class I university. It must be kept in mind that we have successfully implemented NEP-2020 in various teaching departments from the session 2023-2024, which is one of the primary reasons students are seeking admission here. There are a plethora of courses and skills we offer in our 74 departments and centres. We stay committed not just to maintaining its status as a national leader but also to drawing worldwide recognition.”
The Department of Pharmacy, considered as one of the most prestigious departments of the university, offers six courses in masters with 15 seats each, making it 90 seats in total. The department has received 1,037 applications this year. “According to NIRF rankings issued by the Ministry of Education, we have always been rated among the best institutions in the field on the basis of seven or eight parameters,” said Prof Anil Kumar, chairperson, University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The Department of Laws, which offers three-year LLB to students who have completed their under-graduation, has shortlisted 1,496 applicants on the basis of the entrance test and the marks scored in under-graduation. The department has 300 seats on the campus and 180 seats at three regional centres (60 each in Muktsar, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur).
PU’s Centre for Human Rights and Duties, which offers Masters in Human Rights and Duties, has also seen 349 applications after aptitude test, group discussion and personal interview for 42 seats. According to department faculty members, the course is beneficial for students wanting to make a career in human rights agencies, corporate sector and even mainstream government organisations.
Psychology, another popular field of study among students, has seen 1,123 applications for 77 seats.