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HPAU rolls back entrance exam, admission fee
The Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University (HPAU) has rolled back its decision to hike application fee for admission to various courses through
The Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University (HPAU) has rolled back its decision to hike application fee for admission to various courses through entrance exam as well as merit bases.
The HPAU conducts entrance exam for admissions to the bachelors and masters courses in agriculture and veterinary sciences. The admissions to the courses of physical sciences, life sciences, B. Tech (Food Technology), community science and doctoral programmes is done on merit bases.
The university, which issued the prospectus for academic session 2020-21 on April 20, had drawn flakes from students and parents for quietly increasing the application fee amid the lockdown. The application fee was increased by ₹900 from ₹3100 to ₹4000.
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student arm of RSS had even written to the chief minister about the fee hike and also threatened a stir if the same was not withdrawn.
Meanwhile, HPAU vice-chancellor Prof Ashok Kumar Sarial said that the academic council of HPAU, after taking stock of hardships faced by students and their parents in the lockdown due to Covid-19, has decided to roll back the decision.
The entrance exam and the admission fee will remain same as it was in the previous academic year.
The vice-chancellor further said that the university has also decided to increase the centres for the entrance examination as per the number of applicants so that the social distancing norms are complied with strictly.
Prof Sarial said that the academic council has also decided to enhance intake capacity in M.Sc. Agriculture degree programmes with ten additional seats.
He said that to ensure maximum admissions in the various programmes being run by HPAU, the academic council has decided to retain the existing number of self financing seats so that the students were not compelled to move to private colleges.
“The HPAU is also considering extending the last date of submission of applications forms for various under graduate and post graduate programmes as has been demanded by various candidates due to closure of cyber cafes during the lockdown,” he said.
