Panjab University yet to scrap ‘ancient’ courses

Chandigarh : Despite the fact that a committee , a year back, had recommended the Panjab university (PU) to scarp very old courses as there are no takers, the PU authorities have yet to take a call on it. These courses includes Maulvi, Maulvi Alim, Maulvi Fazil Ratna, Bhushan, Budhiman, Vidwan, Adib, Adib Alim, Adib Fazil, and others. In January 2012, after series of meeting the committee had proposed to scrap old courses, some of which the varsity has been offering from pre-partition days and it has been a year that PU failed to take any decision.

Sources in the Administrative block informed that the authorities hold back the decision of scrapping the courses as they wanted to reconsidered the decision of the committee. At present the issue is standstill.

With the passage of time and upcoming of new language courses, the above mentioned courses have lost their relevance. These are one year certificate courses.

When Registrar Prof A K Bhandari was asked about it, “ The committee had recommended to scrap the courses, but ultimately power lies with the Syndicate. If they approve it then we can scrap them. At present there is nothing of such sort going on.”

The examination branch had been suggesting this long as if even a single student take admission in any of these courses, it would mean that the branch has to undertake the entire procedure that it follows for 100 students.

“It hardly matters if such courses exists as no one these days are interested to do a diploma in these ancient courses. Still to be on safer side, the varsity can do away with such courses”, said one of the senior professors, requesting anonymity.