HYDERABAD: The delay in introducing the M.Bi.P.C (maths, biology, physics and chemistry) course for Intermediate students is going to cost several biology students a chance to study the much sought-after biotechnology course as students without mathematics subject have been disqualified to study biotechnology by the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

The Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) has mooted the idea of offering M.Bi.P.C. course as an optional apart from the existing M.P.C. and Bi.P.C. but it was put on the backburner with opposition from some groups. The purpose of the new move was to help students take both the engineering and medical entrance tests rather than confining to one stream.

Sensitive questions

The M.Bi.P.C. is offered by several State Boards in the Northern States apart from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and students try their luck in both engineering and medical entrance tests.

"Rather than understanding the positive effects of the course, some groups opposed just for the sake of opposing," admits a senior official. Sensitive questions like burdening the already burdened students and lack of infrastructure were cited by the opposing groups, including some student organisations and teachers. "When students of northern States are comfortable why can't our students be who are far superior as proven in the professional fields?" an official asked.

"It is time now for our officials and teachers to sit across and take a positive decision or else our students will continue to suffer," says Narender, whose daughter is studying biology.

Option closed

Biotechnology is a closed option for her now. Moreover, our students also lose a chance to compete for pre-medical test (PMT) and pre engineering test (PET) conducted in the northern States. Though a major portion of biotechnology is related to science subjects the AICTE rules are clear that any engineering course has to be studied by students with mathematics as a compulsory subject at the Intermediate level.

Biotechnology is offered as a B.Tech programme in engineering colleges across the country. A few universities also teach the course at the degree level but they don't attract the best of talent. The craze for biotechnology is so much that parents pay huge sums for a seat under the management quota, thanks to projected growth. Till last year, the 1,200-odd seats in B.Tech (BT) were shared by students from both maths and science backgrounds.

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