PU offering free classes to underprivileged

Though the programme is funded from UGC (Rs 1 lakh),the Department is putting in the best resource persons of PU as guest faculty from respective subjects. “For Statistics we have Prof Ravi Majahan,for Arts and related subjects we have Prof Ghuman. The decision of initiating this programme was taken after research conducted during our other field outreach programmes where we received inputs from students,” said Prof Ajaib Singh,the Director of the Life Long Learning Department.

In the first batch of 32 students that started in May,as many as 13 qualified for the NET. The second batch has started in September. For the moment,the programme will run till December but seeing the kind of response received so far,the department is contemplating to continue it further.

The classes are run in two batches of one hour each from 3 to 4 pm and 4 to 5 pm. “Perhaps the programme has been a hit due to the quality of faculty. For the faculty,we decide to continue with them only after taking regular feedback from the students. On the basis of the feedback,we have dropped some of the faculty members,” said Sween,the assistant director of the department.

The department is also running various certificate courses,free of cost,under the field outreach programme for underprivileged and dropout students. With thousands of beneficiaries increasing each year,some of the popular certificate courses among students are cosmetology,computer applications and computer hardware training,English,electronics,sewing ans stitching.

The departments is also training university employees under its in-service programmes. These include computer applications,office organisation,general service rules and accountability with special reference to PU.

A few programmes have also been started exclusively for women. These include women empowerment,family life education,cutting and tailoring,cookery. For the school drop-outs preparation and coaching is provided to complete their higher secondary education through open school. Even training in yoga and meditation is offered for all in order to lead a stress and strain free life.