The criteria of minimum passing marks in the Bachelor of Education (BEd) entrance examination coupled with decrease in students' interest is proving detrimental for BEd colleges of the State. In BEd entrance examination of the Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna (HNB) Garhwal University this year, only 9,000 students were declared passed while 12500 students passed the examination last year.
There are 46 private colleges, eight self-financed Government colleges and seven Government colleges which are offering BEd courses under the HNB Garhwal University. There are about 7,000 seats in the colleges which are affiliated by the Garhwal University. The admission trends shows that the students tend to take admissions in the government colleges as they are cheaper in comparison with the private colleges.
last year, when the University passed 12,500 students 20-25 per cent seats in the private colleges remained vacant. These colleges are now apprehensive that with less number of students this year about 40 per cent seats in their colleges would remain vacant.The President of Association of Self financed institutes of Uttarakhand Sunil Agarwal told The Pioneer that the Garhwal University should do away with the minimum passing marks criteria and release the merit list of all the appeared students.
He said that in neighbouring States like Uttar Pradesh there is no minimum passing marks criteria in the entrance examination. Agarwal said that as per the guidelines of National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) the students should have at least 50 per cent marks in the Graduate level for appearing in the BEd entrance examinations. He said that seats in many colleges would be vacant this year due to the flawed policy of the university.