E-Paper
Drop in admissions for SPPU’s distance learning courses
Despite a two-month deadline for course applications, the number of students enrolled in these courses has reduced by 2,000 from last year, with only 3,284 admissions this year
Pune
Students have turned their backs on the faculty of Arts and Commerce’s distance learning courses this academic year through Savitribai Phule Pune University’s (SPPU) open and distance education admissions.
Despite a two-month deadline for course applications, the number of students enrolled in these courses has reduced by 2,000 from last year, with only 3,284 admissions this year.
According to information provided by the SPPU administration, the online admission process for distance courses began on August 1. Students were required to fill out online application forms by August 31, but due to poor interest, the deadline was extended for a month, which was Saturday, September 30.
Students who applied online are required to submit a copy of their admission form, along with the necessary documentation, to their preferred study centres by Wednesday (October 4).
To fill up the remaining seats, the SPPU administration has further extended the deadline to October 19.
In August and September, 532 applicants for Bachelor of Arts (BA), 756 for Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), 1,062 for Master of Arts (MA), and 934 for Master of Commerce (MCom) have taken online admissions. A total of 3,928 students had applied online but actually, the admission of 3,284 students has been confirmed, as compared to 5,442 admissions last year.
Last year the highest number of admissions was 2,089 to the MCom course. This year, however, MA has received the most admissions. MCom penetration has declined by more than 50 per cent. There seems to be a significant decline in BA and BCom admissions as well.
On the condition of anonymity, one of the department’s senior professors stated, “As the Covid-19 pandemic period has passed, it appears that students are returning to regular courses rather than the online distance learning mode courses. As a result, there has been a decrease in admissions to the SPPU remote learning school department this year.”
