Nagpur Varsity decision to delete Botany subjects draws flak

Nagpur Varsity decision to delete Botany subjects draws flak
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NAGPUR, JULY 9: Deploring the Nagpur University's decision to delete some specialised subjects existing in the curriculum of the MSc (Botany) course, senior Senate member, Dhananjay Mandlekar, has demanded that the subjects be restored in the interest of the students.

Mandlekar has criticised the Vice-Chancellor Arun Satputaley's decision to delete five specialised topics from the MSc (Botany) curriculum although the same had been approved by the Academic Council, some months ago. He has alleged that the V-C's decision was not in consonance with the Nagpur University Act and would harm the future of the students who have already appeared for the MSc (Botany) part one examination.

Mandlekar has warned University authorities that the decision to delete the topics and the failure of the varsity to appoint contributory lecturers for the MSc Part-II students has caused resentment among them and this might even force them to launch protests and demonstrations.

According to Mandlekar, the Academic Council of the Nagpur University took the decision on September 28, 1999 in which it added five specialised topics in the curriculum of the MSc (Botany) course. The subjects were: Reproductive Biology of Angiosperms, Cytology and Genetics, Mycology and Plant Pathology, Algae, and Palynology and Palacobotany.

Although the Academic Council approved the subjects, a senior member of the faculty of Science later tried to press for their deletion, although the subjects hold tremendous employment-potential.

According to Mandlekar, following the subversive attempt by the senior varsity official, he met the then vice-chancellor, J S Saharia and requested him to ensure that these subjects were not deleted.

Saharia agreed, but the curriculum of the MSc course, published by the varsity this year, showed that the subjects had been deleted. Mandlekar has expressed astonishment as to how the V-C could change the decision taken by the Academic Council.

The V-C can, at the most, defer any decision taken by the Council under section 14 (6) of the Nagpur University Act, provided the Council's decision inconsistent with the provisions of the Act, Statute; or if the guidelines and the regulations were not in the interest of the University. Even then, the V-C has to refer the decision back to the authorities concerned for reconsideration. In this case, the decision was taken suo motu.

Mandlekar further said that the prospectus of MSc Part I & II, that includes the specialised topics, was printed by the Nagpur University in 1999 and admissions were made in July, 1999. The prospectus is an agreement between students and the varsity and cannot be breached till the students pass out from the course. Any change in the curriculum would amount to contravention of section 53 (1) and ordinance 49 of the Nagpur University Act, he added.

Besides the legal problems, any move to change the syllabus would further erode the credibility of the varsity which is slowly recovering from the scam, Mandlekar said. It would also mar the prospects of the students in the employment market, he added.