CU poser for self-financing courses

Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, January 29, 2007

In order to assess the standard of self-finance courses under it, Calcutta University (CU) on Monday has begun to send questioners to colleges. This will be followed by a surprise visit by an expert panel, set up by the university.
The expert committee will file its report by the end of February. The CU will send the report to the higher education ministry, requesting the government to decide on the tuition fee to be charged by the colleges for such courses.
The university had been receiving complaints from the students regarding various aspects of self-finance courses for months. Hindustan Times earlier reported this in December 2006.
The students under self finance-course pay a huge tuition fee compared to students under general course. Even after this, the students have been complaining that their institutions do not provide them with basic infrastructure. The chief grouse from the students is the disparity of course fee among colleges teaching the self-finance scheme. The students also complained about lack of teachers and allege that part time teachers who lack commitment complete courses.
The questioner sent by the university will ask questions like – How does one apply for a self-finance course, how many teachers have been appointed and what are the recruitment rules. Also on the questioner will be how many students apply for the course, the number of full time and part time teachers, tuition fee paid by students, standard of laboratory equipment, condition of the library and the admission process followed by the colleges. The SFI too had formally asked the university to look into the malpractices by the colleges, which offers self-finance courses.
Teachers Training Institute demand
The students of Primary Teachers Training Institute (PTTI) held a convention on Monday, urging school education minister Partha De to negotiate with the National Council of Teachers Education (NCTE) to give affiliation to their institution.
About 75000 students are unable to sit for the PTTI exam because their institution has been derecognised by the High Court. The state is currently locked in a legal battle with NCTE in this regard. The students will be meeting De on February 1 and will also gherao the primary education board.mou.hindustantimes@yahoo.com