The Hindu : Talks between technological university, students fail

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 03, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Talks between technological university, students fail

By Our Special Correspondent

HUBLI Dec. 2. Talks between the representatives of engineering students and the Vice-Chancellor of the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), K. Balaveera Reddy, on resolving the impasse over the new syllabus failed on Monday.

The students' representatives were led by M. Nagaraj, President of the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat (ABVP) at the talks in Bangalore. Sources in the ABVP alleged that Dr. Reddy was reluctant to look into the problems faced by the students. "We had gone there with an open mind. We had several alternatives for the consideration of the Vice-Chancellor for resolving the impasse. But he was not prepared for any dispassionate discussion on the issues involved,'' a spokesman of the ABVP told The Hindu here today.

N.R. Shetty, former Vice-Chancellor of Bangalore University and a member of the two-member committee of the VTU, participated in the talks, it is learnt. The VTU and engineering students have been at loggerheads on the issue of implications of the new syllabus introduced last year on students who have to repeat examinations.

The main issue is whether there should be "merger" or "mobility" of courses. The VTU is in favour of merger, which will mean that students who have failed will have to pursue their education in new syllabus after becoming eligible to continue studies in higher classes. The students led by the ABVP are opposing merger on the grounds that students will have to study the same subjects again in the new syllabus.

The VTU has responded to the students' concern and said that it is prepared to run parallel courses for detained students in select colleges. But the students' action committee, which is leading an agitation, has opposed the move as impracticable, and pointed to the financial burden and the problem of displacement for students.

The ABVP has suggested that the VTU give students the carry-over facility, which will help them to complete their course in the same stream.

As an alternative, it has said that students will join parallel courses if the university bears the additional financial burden. Besides, most of the colleges, it is stated on behalf of the action committee, are unwilling to run parallel courses because of shortage of staff and facilities.

The ABVP spokesman said that the VTU Vice-Chancellor had not given any details of the proposal to run parallel courses for failed students. Sources said that these issues were not discussed at Monday's meeting. The university had not kept its promise to set up a grievance cell, they added.

`Bangalore chalo'

The ABVP has called for a "Bangalore chalo" on December 9. The decision to organise the agitation was taken at a meeting of ABVP leaders after the failure of talks between the parishat and the VTU Vice-Chancellor.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News Update

Stories in this Section

Telgi was allowed to operate from jail

Tax on Captive Power: Decision unlikely before June

`Lakhs will take part in Samajotsava'

Panel approves three engineering colleges

State awards for disabled persons

International food convention in Mysore from Friday

Talks between technological university, students fail