PU looks to relax admission criteria amid low enrolments - Hindustan Times
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PU looks to relax admission criteria amid low enrolments

By, Chandigarh
Mar 24, 2023 12:33 AM IST

It has proposed doing away with the entrance exam PU-CET (PG) for those seeking admission in the courses at PU’s University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET) and Dr SS Bhatnagar University Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology (UICET) for the next academic session to attract more students

Owing to the low number of applicants and resultantly fewer enrolments, Panjab University (PU) has proposed a relaxation in the admission criteria for its ME and MTech courses for the next academic session.

Owing to the low number of applicants and resultantly fewer enrolments, Panjab University (PU) has proposed a relaxation in the admission criteria for its ME and MTech courses for the next academic session. (HT file photo)
Owing to the low number of applicants and resultantly fewer enrolments, Panjab University (PU) has proposed a relaxation in the admission criteria for its ME and MTech courses for the next academic session. (HT file photo)

It has proposed doing away with the entrance exam PU-CET (PG) for those seeking admission in the courses at PU’s University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET) and Dr SS Bhatnagar University Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology (UICET) for the next academic session to attract more students. The matter will be tabled in the varsity syndicate’s next meeting.

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For admissions, the first preference would be given to GATE rank and second to the marks obtained in BE. The varsity has also proposed changes in eligibility criteria for most of the ME/Mtech courses.

Entrance test not fruitful, says panel

Deliberating on the matter, the varsity’s admission facilitation committee has recommended that conducting entrance tests in various ME/MTech courses is not a fruitful practice as the number of applicants are fewer than the number of sanctioned seats. The panel’s recommendations, along with the proposed eligibility criteria would be taken up in the next syndicate meeting on March 25.

“We cannot conduct the test, if the number of applicants is lower, otherwise it does not serve the purpose. It’s a cumulative decision taken by all, at least for the next academic session,” a senior faculty member of UIET said.

Less admissions in ME/MTech

The University has received a poor response from students in its engineering courses this year, with a large number of seats remaining vacant. The impact is worst in ME/MTech courses.

While four ME/MTech courses are offered at UICET, 12 are offered at UIET. The former has 23 seats each in the two courses, of which only 11 found takers for ME (chemical), while no student was admitted in MTech (polymer).

Similarly at UIET, only two students were admitted in ME (ECE) and no student was admitted in ME (EEE) against a total of 23 seats in each during this year. The ME (mechanical) course saw only four admissions against the 23 sanctioned seats in the course.

NAD adoption

PU syndicate in its next meeting will also deliberate on the adopting the National Academic Depository (NAD)-Digilocker, in totality along with degree templates for both UG and PG courses and the implementation of academic bank of credits (ABC) under Digilocker framework as per communications received from the University Grants Commission.

The syndicate will also take a call on waiving-off the recovery of excess interest amount from entitled subscribers of PF/GPF who were retired from the varsity service, as per the policy instructions issued by Punjab government.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Dar Ovais is a Chandigarh-based Hindustan Times correspondent who covers higher education.

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