Team Herald
PANJIM: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar’s college is amongst 56 colleges that have been granted affiliation by Goa University (GU) to increase seats for various self-financed courses.
Harmal Panchakroshi Shikshan Mandal’s Ganpat Parsekar College of Education – of which the CM is chairman – is the only institution this year to get affiliation for BA BEd and BSc BEd programmes.
With the number of students seeking college admissions increasing every year, GU’s step is to ensure that eligible students are not left out due to lack of seats.
Affiliation for courses on self-financed basis has given colleges the liberty to charge exorbitant fees from students. With the government failing to offer grant-in-aid to the varsity, the only option is affiliation of self-financed courses.
“The fees charged by educational institutions, some of them offering post graduate courses are far more than GU’s fee structure. Had the government given us grant-in-aid, we would have increased student intake and marginally hiked the fees. This will not only lessen financial burden on students, who are forced to go for self-financed courses but also add revenue to State government’s treasury,” an official said.
Selective courses at certain colleges like St Xavier College, Bandekar College of Commerce, Parvatibai Chowgule College (now autonomous), and PES (for organic chemistry) were given affiliation wherein the managements were granted permission to add 20 seats on self-financed basis.
Besides, various departments under science, commerce stream has gained popularity among students considering the increasing job opportunities. “GU does not have administrative control but the courses are academically controlled by us since we award degrees. Therefore, we cannot interfere into the fees aspect,” the official said.
