TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Goa University (GU) is to soon call a special meeting of its academic council to discuss measures needed to ensure that all the successful HSSC students are accommodated in undergraduate colleges. GU officials have taken up the matter on priority following apprehensions over possible shortage of seats in certain colleges due to rising demand for admissions.
GU Registrar V P Kamat said they are in constant touch with the principals of affiliated colleges where the list of admission seekers has escalated even as the admission process would continue for another month. “This time (the month long admission process) can be used to put in place adjustments to accommodate more students. One way is by opening new divisions wherever colleges have the infrastructure to do so,” he suggested.
Two years ago, the GU academic council had decided that the number of students in a class be fixed at 60 as per UGC norms and suggested opening of new divisions to take in more students. The government had supported the decision in view of the potential adverse impact due to increase in class strength beyond the norms laid down by UGC.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and are confident that GU is in a position to handle the increase of admission seekers without compromising on quality of education,” Kamat added.
The council, consisting of about 50 principals of GU affiliated colleges as its members to oversee the academic programmes of the university, had anticipated increase in admission seekers in 2015.
In 2011, the number of students who passed the HSSC exam was 11,241 which rose to 12,798 in 2012. The performance dropped in 2013 and 2014 which saw 11,098 and 10,025 students, respectively, clearing the examination. This year, the successful candidates numbered around 14,000, an increase by about 4,000.
“It is only about 1200 more than those who passed out in 2012 when it was possible to provide admission to all those who sought it. Since 2012, GU added a few more general education affiliated colleges. Hence, GU is reasonably confident that it will be able to accommodate all students by the time the admission process is completed this year,” Kamat said.
