Facing problems, UBS seeks to drop MBA biotech course
University Business School (UBS), Panjab University, has asked the varsity to discontinue Master of Business Administration (MBA) in the biotechnology course offered by institute, stating that it was unviable.
University Business School (UBS), Panjab University, has asked the varsity to discontinue Master of Business Administration (MBA) in the biotechnology course offered by institute, stating that it was unviable.
In its recent meeting, UBS faculty resolved that the course, which was started in 2008 under the then vice-chancellor RC Sobti, was not of ‘core competence’ of the institute and that the institute was finding the course difficult to run.
Officials said that the course, which was started with an intake of 14 students, failed to evolve into what UBS envisioned.
Sources from the institute said the course was being run with the assistance of appointed guest faculty as the institute was unable to appoint regular teaching staff.
Officials added students enrolled on the course only after failing to secure seats in core business steams of fered by the institute, such as MBA in human resources or finance.
While it was initiated with the hope that it would develop into a mainstream field in the country, it found few takers in companies.
“We are facing problems in getting students with a degree in MBA biotechnology placed in biotech companies. First, there are very few companies in this field in the country. Even those companies that do come for recruitment do not offer good packages,” said t he of f i cial. The institute does not allow the companies that offer less than Rs 5 lakh per annum to participate in the campus placement drive.
This year, the institute has seen only seven students from the course secure jobs so far.
“Many among those placed have been offered marketing or other such mainstream jobs in companies,” said the official, adding that while students of o t her s t re a ms were offered annual package of Rs 8 to 9 lakh, students of MBA biotechnology would only get Rs 6 lakh to Rs 7 lakh per annum.
Chair person AK Vashisht confir med that the institute had written to the varsity to drop the course. “If university (still) wants to run it, it could be shifted to some other department,” said Vashisht.
This is the second course started during Sobti’s tenure that has run into rough weather.
Recently, the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET) also wrote to the varsity seeking the discontinuation of its five-year integrated management-engineering degree programme, also started in 2008.