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UGC plans integrated PG science programme

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI SEPT. 14. The University Grants Commission proposes to introduce a five-year integrated post-graduate science programme from the next academic year (2004-2005), at four centres, each with an initial intake of 100 students, the vice-chairman, V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, said today.

Speaking to presspersons at the Nehru Memorial College at Puthanampatti, 25 km from here, Prof. Pillai said the course would be started in Chennai, Allahabad, Bhubaneshwar and Pune. An entrance test would be conducted at the national level for selection of students.

For the first three years, the syllabus would cover all basic sciences and the fourth and fifth year will focus on the specific faculty/branch.

The UGC also proposed to start another post-graduate course in humanities and social sciences. The Commission recently took over the American Studies Research Centre (ASRC) in Hyderabad, where the course would be conducted, with an intake of 100 students.

It has planned to sanction a one-time `potential in excellence' grant to rural colleges and universities in backward districts across the country. The Planning Commission had identified 500 districts as backward zones and higher educational institutions located there would be eligible for the grant. While the rural college would get a grant of Rs. 10 lakhs, the university would get Rs. 1 crore. These institutions should be autonomous and should have obtained the accreditation from the National Academic and Accreditation Council. However, in the case of a university not fulfilling any one of these pre-requisites, there would be a proportionate cut in the grant, Prof. Pillai said.

As many as 150 colleges all over the country would be identified for the grant every year and there would be a balanced selection of colleges.

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