Eight PG courses at four govt colleges in Chandigarh may be discontinued from next academic session

Fresh admissions into eight postgraduate courses at four government colleges in Chandigarh may be discontinued from the 2020-21 academic session.

The recommendation was made by a committee of the UT higher education department earlier this year to rationalise staff and resources at government colleges in the city.

The courses that may be discontinued are Punjabi MA-I, MA history and MA (IT) at Post Graduate Government College for Girls, Sector 42; MA sociology, public administration and MA-I fine arts at Post Graduate Government College for Girls, Sector 11, and MA Hindi at Post Graduate Government College, Sector 11. At Regional Institute of English (RIE), Sector 32, the committee has suggested to take no new students in MA English for the next session.

According to sources, the committee observed that for most of these courses, the enrolment is 40-50% against the sanctioned strength. The principals have been given a proforma and they need to give an undertaking that they will not demand more resources if they want to run these courses for the next academic session.

Out of around 450 sanctioned teaching posts, around 100 are vacant at government colleges in Chandigarh.

The education department has already held discussions with college principals and the process is likely to be finalised in coming weeks. The higher education department is likely to hold a meeting with college principals before making a final decision.

Director of higher education, Chandigarh, Rubinderjeet Singh Brar, said, “We are rationalising resources keeping in mind vacant posts and the situation amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The students will not face any loss and they might be admitted to other colleges in the city.”