No takers for postgraduation courses at regional centres of GNDU, Amritsar

Tribune News Service

Neha Saini

Amritsar, November 11

The number of students opting for admissions to postgraduate courses (science and engineering) has dropped drastically at Guru Nanak Dev University’s (GNDU) regional campus in Gurdaspur and Jalandhar.

High course fee

Most students in this belt do not have paying capacity. The fee for engineering course is Rs 1.3L, much higher than other PTU-affiliated colleges here. Prof SB Rana, head, Engg dept, Gurdaspur regional campus

The regional campus in Gurdaspur has seen no admissions to MTech (computer science and engineering), MTech (electronics and computer engineering) and MCA from 2018. It was established in 1998 and engineering and technology courses were started in 2002.

The regional campus in Jalandhar, too, has a similar situation. This campus was established in 1979 and initially it had English, Punjabi and law departments. Later, undergraduate and postgraduate courses in engineering and technology and mass communication were added.

High fee has been stated as one of the reasons for the dismal admission record in postgraduate courses at the regional centres.

“Most students in this belt do not have a paying capacity. The fee for engineering course is Rs 1.30 lakh. Thus, students prefer to take admission at the PTU-affiliated colleges or at main campus of GNDU in Amritsar,” said Professor SB Rana, head, Engineering Department, GNDU regional campus, Gurdaspur.

Prof Rana said, “Placements in BTech courses have been 100 per cent as they are centralised and done through the GNDU main campus while postgraduate courses fail to attract students.”

However, several courses in science, technology and life sciences at the main campus of GNDU saw zero admissions in 2022-23 session.

In life sciences, department of human genetics offers MSc human genetics and MSc human genetics-USHS with 30 seats each, but there’s no taker for the latter.

In molecular biology and biochemistry, MSc (biochemistry) with specialisation in sports biochemistry reported zero admission and all 10 seats were lying vacant.

At the department of electronics technology, one of the oldest departments, no student applied for 10 seats. Only nine students opted for MTech (CSE) that has 20 seats.

GNDU had commenced new courses in BTech (textile processing technology) and MSc (apparel and textiles) in the last session. Both courses had 20 seats each. So far, only three students have taken admission in BTech and four in MSc.

Prof Sarbjot Singh Behl, Dean Academic Affairs, GNDU, said, “The trend keeps on shifting between different courses. Our students get placed after BTech. So, nobody pursues MTech afterwards. Gurdaspur being a border belt, not many students opt for postgraduation.”

“We keep on reviewing courses every year. After the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission, students might opt for postgraduation to make a career in teaching,” he said.

Similar scenario in humanities

• In department of history, postgraduate diploma in heritage tourism in India has 10 seats, but no takers
• No student has sought admission to MA (philosophy) at department of Guru Nanak studies
• Fifteen seats in master of planning (infrastructure) at Guru Ramdass School of Planning lying vacant
• Dept of education, which offers 10 seats in MA (education), saw zero admissions
• Similar situation has been witnessed in mental health counselling and masters in business economics
• Advanced diploma in Urdu, masters in Persian and certificate course in Punjabi translation found no takers
• The university offers PhD in almost 50 courses, but strength of research scholars was less than 50 per cent

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