Board for Miss is a hit

Long after the submission and sale of prospectuses in Delhi University end at 1 pm, the Non Collegiate Women’s Education Board (NCWEB) is brimming with activity, reports Tanya Ashreena.

Long after the submission and sale of prospectuses in Delhi University end at 1 pm, the Non Collegiate Women’s Education Board (NCWEB) is brimming with activity.

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Endless queues snake away from submissions counters, even as hundreds of students wait for their turns to buy a form.

The NCWEB is a board holding regular classes in regular colleges and schools during Sundays and autumn and winter holidays as it possesses no infrastructure of its own.

Earlier, perceived as a a cousin of the School of Open Learning, the NCWEB is now attracting academically bright students.

“Earlier, we were considered to be inferior to regular colleges,” said Vinod Lyall, director, NCWEB. “However, now we get several applicants with scores in seventies and eighties. Our final cut-off last year for B.Com Programme was 68 per cent, while for BA Programme it was 65 per cent.”

Though perceived to be a choice of those students who could not make it to any of the regular colleges, the NCWEB received 30,000 applications for 5,000 seats last year.

As classroom teaching hours here are fewer than at a regular college, faculty of NCWEB have to work harder. “We hold 50 periods a year for each subject,” said Lyall. “As the teaching time is short, when classes are scheduled, they are actually held.” .

NCWEB holds classes in colleges such as Hansraj College and Jesus and Mary College (JMC), as well as small schools.

Lyall says applicants should not be biased, as the faculty teaching in these colleges are the NCWEB’s own.

However, students still prefer to go to colleges. “I hope I get either JMC or Indraprastha College for Women,” said Meghna Sharma, a DU aspirant. “I have opted for NCWEB because I am pursuing a company secretary course, and want to give it my best, while also obtaining a college degree.”

Her friend, Risha Gupta said she was applying for B.Com Programme as her percentage was low, and she did not want to give up her course.