In SGU, external students could take only postgraduate arts and commerce examinations, while in Gujarat University the system is open to even undergraduates. If introduced, it will not only reduce admission pressure on colleges but enable genuine students to get degrees without going through the rigours of admission procedure.

Whether colleges accept donations or not is a moot point, but the system will come to the rescue of those economically disadvantaged to avoid taking admission, and still get degrees. It will also do away with a host of irregularities connected with the admission procedures. It may pose a threat, especially to surplus teachers, but the system is in the larger interest of students.

The credit for introducing the idea goes to Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, which has given a good account of itself ever since its members were posted on the Syndicate as government nominees. They have not only changed the power equation but done good to the students and their interests.

If the first two Syndicate meetings are any indication, SGU students - whose interests were often bartered for the sake of a few political compulsions and whims and fancies of a few individuals - stand to gain a lot from future meetings.

Indications are Syndicate will frequently meet now. Earlier, vice-chancellor Ashwin Kapadia was accused of deliberately avoiding holding the meetings to keep his opponents at bay. Since it was within his powers to avoid meetings, his opponents, who were in majority, could do little but to make noises in newspapers.

The Suryakant Shah-Hoshang Mirza group, which was dominating the university politics for quite some time, now finds itself in minority with the nomination of four government nominees; three from the ABVP and one of the BJP. The group's decisions somehow never found favour with the students community.

The ABPV is always vocal when it comes to students' interests. So far, all its members have worked hand in hand with the vice-chancellor while turning their back on the other group, which is making every effort to woo the new members to regain the hold over the Syndicate.

A parishad member says: ``We won't allow their game to succeed.'' It's not that the group has been solely anti-students and is avoiding direct confrontation with the parishad. The students' body, on its part, takes the group's compliance as a strategy to win over the new members.

The students body has helped the vice-chancellor take certain decisions that were considered taboo earlier. Take the introduction of vocational and self-financing colleges, for instance. The Parishad believes the decision will help students to find employment easily.

It strikes a cautious note on its members' allegiance. ``We will oppose the vice-chancellor if students' interests are harmed, '' says a member. He, however, admits the agenda is finalised in consultation with the parishad, giving the latter an opportunity to make its stand clear. Certain items are summarily dropped from the agenda even if found remotely anti-students, claims a parishad activist.

All and all, students have little ground to complain with the combination of parishad and the vice-chancellor - who was on the defensive for quite some after controversies over his allegedly purchased degrees and daughter's dissertation.