GNDU revs up its prep centre for competetive exams

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 2

The Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) has revitalised its All India Services Centre of Preparation for Competitive Examination (AISCPCE) by sparing a dedicated director, teaching faculty and funds out of its own sources.

The centre, which came into existence in 1982 and produced officers of the rank of IAS, PCS, IPS, IRS etc in eighties and nineties, produced negligible results in the past one decade.

Some of the prominent 1980-90 students who could crack the competition and occupied important positions include Dilbagh Singh, DGP (J&K police), Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, IG, Punjab Police, Atul Nanda, Advocate General, Punjab, Sushil Bodh, PCS (judicial), Rohit Mehra and Karnail Singh, both Income Tax Commissioners. Lately, during 2013-2016, PCS officers Hemant Sharma posted as DSP in Amritsar jail, Sukhninder Singh, also DSP in Punjab Police, and Arunpreet Singh, who was selected as ETO, were the only names that GNDU officials could recall as achievement.

Now, by way of appointing its former head of Political Science Department Prof Kuldip Singh as consultant-cum-coordinator of the centre, fixing the liability of subject experts, the GNDU has shown its commitment towards meritorious students.

Since 2012, the Union Government has stopped the grant of Rs 24 lakh per annum under various schemes. Prof Kuldip Singh, who assumed the charge from January 1 after his superannuation, admitted that the success graph of the centre had shown a depleting trend.

“I was associated with the teaching of the centre since its inception. It is true that our last achievement was during 2002-2003 when around 15-16 students could clear the PCS. After that, our success rate deteriorated,” he said.

To re-energise the centre, the GNDU has planned to pump in about Rs 13 lakh per annum in addition to deputing experts of various subjects and raising the requisite infrastructure.

The fee structure has been fixed as Rs 16,000 for general category students and Rs 8,000 for SC/ST students for the preparatory courses.

GNDU Vice Chancellor Prof Jaspal Singh hoped that with the engagement of fresh faculty and experienced consultant, the centre would be able to fulfil the vacuum of quality teaching for the meritorious students of this part of the region. Private centres charge between Rs 50,000 and Rs 80,000 for preparatory courses and their success rate too is not more than 2 per cent.

“We have engaged Assistant Professor-level experienced teachers of economics, sociology, English, history, political science and geography from the respective departments to coach students. Their accountability has been fixed as they would be paid Rs 1,000 per lecture. We will also engage successful officers for motivational sessions,” he said.