PU VC determined to introduce entrance test for PG admission

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Patna : Patna University (PU) vice-chancellor Y C Simhadri appears determined to introduce entrance test for admission to the post-graduation courses in the coming academic session even as majority of post-graduate departments are crying for students.

The academic council and syndicate of PU have already approved the proposal for entrance test for admission to the post-graduate courses and the same has now been forwarded to the chancellor for his final nod. If the proposal is  approved by the chancellor, the aspirants for admission to the PG courses will have to clear the entrance test for becoming eligible for admission.

PU  academics are, however,  nonplussed over the utter haste being shown by the VC in introducing the entrance test. What purpose will the entrance test serve when the number of applicants in more than half of the post-graduation courses is much less than the sanctioned seats.

The university records of students admitted to the PG courses in the last academic session ( 2015-17) reveal that in most of the departments of humanities faculty, the number of students admitted was much less than the sanctioned seats. While only four students were admitted in PG Persian course, the Maithili department could attract only five. Even a popular subject like philosophy could get only 18 students against the sanctioned strength of 80. Subjects like Arabic, Bengali, Urdu and Ancient Indian history and archaeology also attracted very few students.

PU philosophy department head R S Arya said the proposed entrance test would prove a farcical exercise as most post-graduation courses are not getting the desired number of students and the seats remain vacant owing to poor response of students. He apprehended that some courses may face closure if the entrance test were introduced and the candidates fail to secure the qualifying marks at the test. Moreover, the online admission process to be introduced by the university this year would also prove detrimental as the rural students would hardly be able to utilize the internet facilities, he added.

PU geography department head K N Paswan also questioned the university’s decision to introduce the entrance test for admission at the post-graduate level. He said that when 80 % seats in all the PG courses are reserved for PU students, what is the need of testing the merit of students. It would simply mean that PU has lost faith at its own examination system. Entrance test at undergraduate level is all right as there is generally huge rush of admission seekers and the candidates pass plus two examination from different examining bodies like CBSE, ISCE and BSEB. But there is no need of the entrance test at the PG level, he added.