Uttarakhand Higher Education director Mukul Pant has no specific answer about where 20,000 students would go for their higher education after the High Court and then the State Government ordered enrollment of only 12, 500 students in different bachelor degree courses in DAV (PG) College. last year, around 32,000 students had enrolled themselves in various degree courses in this college.
The State Government plans to open 10 additional Government degree colleges, including three in Dehradun, and all of them are under process. If everything goes as planned, admission process in Raipur Government Degree College may begin from coming academic session.
large number of students who were securing 45 to 50 per cent marks in their Class XII board examinations had been getting admission easily in various courses at the DAV (PG) College. From the new academic session, students scoring such marks will find it tough to secure admission in this college. Students on the merit list prepared by the college will be allowed to enroll themselves for various courses in the new academic session.
However, DAV (PG) College students' union president Siddharth Rana said that recently, he met the DAV College Society general secretary Yogendra Swaroop and informed him about students' concerns. He would soon convene a meeting with leaders of different students' groups.
"After reaching consensus, we would move to the High Court to present students' concerns regarding admission process and would appeal that the previous years' admission process be followed to enable maximum number of students to complete their higher education," he added. Raipur resident Sumitra who secured 50 per cent marks in her Class XII board examination said, "I wish to secure my bachelor degree from DAV (PG) College but I would not be able to get admission this year because students will be selected based on the college merit list."
Replying to a question about where about 20, 000 students would go for their higher education considering the shortage of government degree colleges in Dehradun, the State Higher Education director said that large number of students used to enroll in DAV (PG) College only for a degree without focusing on education. After High Court's interim order, such students can enroll themselves in Open Universities or as private students to gain a degree. To cope with the situation, Government may think about increasing students' strength in government degree colleges, she added.
The college principal Dr Devendra Bhasin said that in compliance with High Court's interim order, the college will now enroll only 12, 400 students in various bachelor and post-graduate courses in the academic session 2014-15. In the last year, following State Government's intervention, about 30, 000 students were given admission in the college inspite of infrastructural constraints.
Bhasin said that instructions have been issued by the State Government and Vice Chancellor of HNB Garhwal Central University to ensure that number of students enrolled in the college should not exceed the sanctioned limit. Bhasin expressed hope that the college will see good days in the near future as students will be enrolled as per the sanctioned strength which will enable the college to provide quality education.