Vice Chancellor Dr Shetye should be commended for his courage in sending this note to the C.M.
It clearly fixes responsibility on the Principals / Managements for the increase in the classroom strengths in different colleges. These unnecessary increases are surely detrimental to education. Most of the while the ad-hoc increases in classroom strengths are done to accommodate requests of politically and financially influential people. Having said this, perhaps some more thought needs to be given to the way the admission processes of the colleges are done. Merit should not be the only criteria. For instance recently at Rosary College there was a case where the people in Navelim demanded that their wards be given preference during admissions. Their contention was that the college was started because of the need of the Navelim students for a college as they often would not get admissions in the Margao colleges. And the people of Navelim raised money and donated substantial amounts of land to construct the college.So now by denying the students of Navelim admission to the college would defeat the very raison d'etre for starting the college. So also I have noticed that students from the SC / ST and other reserved categories are, if not overtly denied admission, at least discouraged by not having the reservations properly advertised as should be done in their prospectuses. I know that some teachers may not find what I'm saying popular because when one gets students with very high percentages one can afford to take it easy as the students do most of the work. But if this is followed what does one do with with students who do not score so high at qualifying exams? Are they to be denied an education? This is where the need to not only not increase but indeed decrease class strengths is needed because then teachers can then pay the extra attention that is needed to those who are less bright. Regards On Tue, Jul 9, 2013 at 7:59 PM, augusto pinto <[email protected]> wrote: > The note below is one sent by the Vice Chancellor of Goa University Dr > Satish Shetye sent to the Chief Minister that is circulating among > teaching staff after the teachers' association UCTAG sent it to its > members. I am taking the liberty to circulate it on goanet as the public is > also a stakeholder in the education process. > > Regards > Augusto > > -- > > A note for Honourable Chief Minister on BA and BCom admissions this year > > - > > In 2003 UGC created norms in the form of mandatory Regulations for the > class strength. The suggested norm was 60 students per class for > undergraduates. > - > > The university incorporated these norms in its ordinances. > - > > Ever since then at the time of admissions college principals ask the > university for ad-hoc increase in class strength (usually ranging between > 10-33%). Though in violation of its own ordinances, the university has > been granting such increases. > - > > Principals (and management) like such increase. > - > > Teacher hate the increase. > - > > The above, i.e. the university granting the increase that is in > violation of its own norms, is not a desirable situation. To rectify the > situation, the university set up well over a year ago a committee to > recommend the policy that the university should follow. Both teachers and > principals were associated with deliberations of the committee. > - > > The committee recommended that the class strength for BA and BCom > should be fixed at 60 with no relaxation granted. The recommendations were > accepted by the Academic Council only about two months ago. > - > > As usual this year the principals asked for increase in class > strength. The university has refused. > - > > The university has suggested that instead of ad-hoc increase the > colleges should follow one of the following two options to accommodate > students: > > (1) increase the number of divisions; > > (2) request students to go to a college where seats are available. > > - > > It is our estimate that there are enough seats available for BCom to > accommodate all students who are seeking admission. > - > > For BA one or two colleges may need to open a new division. According > to the Department of Higher Education, permission to open new divisions is > granted instantly. > > > With the above in mind the policy and the practice now should be as > follows: > > - > > Everyone should be guaranteed a seat in undergrad BA and BCom (there > seems to be no issue related to BSc admission). However, a student must be > prepared to go a college anywhere in Goa if his or her standing in the > merit list is not high enough. > - > > Colleges should be encouraged, if need be coaxed, to open a new > division. This may be required only in case of BA this year. As per our > estimates, based on the data provided by principals, there are enough seats > available for B.Com. > - > > If travel to a college places unmanageable financial hardship on a > student, such situations should be examined case by case. The university > feels reasonably confident that a solution can be found in each case. > - > > All those who are finding themselves not able to find a seat can > contact the university. The university will set up a Cell with principals > and teachers as members to assist the student to find a seat. The > financially handicapped can also contact the Cell. > > > Why is the above necessary, wouldn’t the practice of ad-hoc increases be a > simpler solution? > There is widespread lack of understanding on how an institution of higher > learning works: why bodies of the university (the Academic Council, the > Executive Council, etc.) create ordinances, statutes, etc., after elaborate > discussion to define each process to be followed in the university. There > is the belief that the Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor is empowered to change > the dictates contained in ordinances and statutes. Such beliefs are > detrimental to the long-term health of the university. The lack of > understanding must be corrected with actions. The policy suggested above > is one such action. The practice followed in the past of granting ad-hoc > increases is yet another step that undermined the processes of the > university. Such practices must be stopped immediately. Moreover, the > damage done in the past by such practices needs to be reversed. > > Augusto Pinto > 40, Novo Portugal > Moira, Bardez > Goa, India > E [email protected] > P 0832-2470336 > M 9881126350 > -- Augusto Pinto 40, Novo Portugal Moira, Bardez Goa, India E [email protected] P 0832-2470336 M 9881126350
