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Punjabi University: Special coordination committee set up to improve admissions at neighbourhood campuses
V-C says Principals, heads and in-charges of neighbourhood campuses will be members of the committee and all possible assistance will be provided
With the external centres and neighbouring campuses staring at closure due to low admission rates, the Punjabi University, Patiala, has constituted a central admission coordination committee.
Dean external affairs Prof Pushpinder Singh Gill will head the committee, while assistant professor Bharat Bhushan Singla will be the convener. University’s assistant professors Inderpreet Sandhu and Satinder Singh are appointed as coordinators of the committee. The panel will work in tandem with the varsity’s main admissions cell.
The varsity has nine neighbourhood campuses and six regional centres, most of which are located in rural Punjab.
Dark clouds seem to be looming over the future of Punjabi University’s eternal centres as admission rates at these institutions continue to sink with every passing academic session.
Last year, 80% seats in engineering and management courses were vacant at the external centres.
Issuing formal notification for setting up of the committee, Prof Batra said, “The committee will take all key decisions related to admissions at external centres.”
Principals, heads and in-charges of these centres will be members of the committee and provide all possible assistance.
Meanwhile, an official, pleading anonymity, said that these institutions have added to the financial distress of the varsity exchequer.
“With poor admission records, there is hardly any income from these centres resulting in the varsity bearing all their expenses,” the official added.
In the past, vice-chancellor (V-C) Prof BS Ghuman has convened multiple meetings with heads of different engineering and management departments of the university, regional centres, neighbouring campuses and constituent colleges to brainstorm strategies for improving admission rates in the upcoming academic session.
“The varsity is already working on formulating concrete policies and plans to increase admissions at these centres,” the V-C said.
Meanwhile, in order to revive the regional and neighbourhood campuses, the university plans to focus on attracting students from Bihar, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.
