Student strength nose-dives at KU’s satellite campuses

Srinagar, Oct 28: Like its main campus, the Kashmir University’s satellite campuses in north and south Kashmir are witnessing a massive dip in student admissions, even as newly-introduced courses are finding no takers despite being introduced with much fanfare.
According to official sources, the North Campus at Baramulla introduced, from this academic session, an integrated BSc-MSc programme in Botany.
Against the intake capacity of around 40 seats, only 16 candidates came forward for the admission, leaving over 50 percent seats vacant, they said.
Similarly, the University introduced integrated BA-MA in Arabic at Kupwara Campus, from this academic year.
Despite throwing the admission open for even 10+2 level students, only five candidates came forward for admission, rendering the course virtually paralytic to be started on the desired lines. The situation with M.Ed course being offered at North Campus Baramulla is similarly dismal, with more than 80 percent seats still vacant despite admission dates being extended continuously.
One faculty member at North Campus said that these newly-introduced courses were started without any serious background exercise and research on their viability.
“The University Council headed by LG clearly directed the University authorities to start new courses only after assessing their viability. But just to score a few brownie points, the University authorities went ahead with these courses, only to be left red-faced by no takers,” the faculty member wishing anonymity said.
KU’s main campus is already facing a steady decline in student admissions, forcing the University to make a call for “open and spot admissions” in a bid to fill up the vacant seats.
The admissions in several courses have dipped by 50 to 80 percent across campuses. The situation with Institute of Technology Zakura Campus is worse, with almost all its branches seeing a steep dip in admissions this year.
“There is no serious effort being made to assess and address this problem which has dented the University’s perception in the public eyes. An institution devoid of students is a dead institution,” said an assistant professor at IOT Zakura.
The Assistant Professor said making a call for spot admissions to fill up vacant seats in relaxation of admission norms only reflects poorly on the reputation of the institution which claims to be Grade A+.
Many teachers argue that KU’s Chancellor should appoint a high level committee of academicians from different parts of the country to come up with tangible solutions for declining student strength in the Varsity.
Otherwise, they said, the University will see further decline in its academic standards which will only impair its growth and progression. (KNO)