Basic sciences and humanities back in the reckoning
When the admissions of 2008-
09 got over, the number of
students in most of the basic science
and humanities courses in
most colleges of Bharathiar University,
Coimbatore, were in single
digits. In 85 colleges in the district,
even 25 per cent seats were not
filled in these disciplines.
As against this, the academic
year 2009-10 has seen a total reversal
of last year's trend. According
to vice-chancellor G.
Thiruvasagam, more than 90 per
cent of the colleges have requested
for 20 per cent additional seats,
while 40 per cent of the colleges
have asked for an additional
section.
The affiliated colleges of the university
have a section in each department
and this section has 50
seats. Hence an additional 20 per
cent would mean 60 students in
each class and an additional section
would mean an additional 50 students
in the department.
The courses listed as per preference
are B. Com. with Computer
Applications, B. Com., B. Sc. Mathematics,
B. Sc. Physics, B. Sc. Chemistry,
B.A. History with Tourism,
B.A. Economics, etc. The demand
for additional seats has come for
Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
"There has been a tremendous
response to basic sciences and humanities.
This year there are no takers
for the Information Technology
courses. With the threat of very few
jobs in the sector, students have
turned to the next best alternative
- basic sciences. Mathematics is a
popular choice because they are ensured
of a job once they complete
the course," Mr. Thiruvasagam
said.
After last year's debacle, the university
brought together experts
during summer to revamp the existing
courses to make them inter-disciplinary
and application-oriented.
The revamping, coupled with the IT
slump, has turned the tide in favour
of the conventional courses.
And, if one thought that this
trend was typical of city and urban
colleges and students, the figures
provided by the university reveal
the right picture: among the colleges
that had asked for additional
seats and section, a large number of
them were rural colleges.
J. Manjula, principal, Sri. G.V.G.
Visalakshi College for Women,
Udumalpet, said she had applied for
additional seats for Mathematics,
Physics, Chemistry, Biotechnology
and English Literature. Last year,
the college had single digit number
of students admitted in these
courses. This year, they are all filled
to capacity.
"Rural students, mostly wards of
farmers, are aware of what is in and
what is out in terms of career prospects.
They are keen on pursuing a
B.A. in literature because they are
aware that they will be assured of
employment," she said.
With the craze for technical and
IT courses on the rise among the
youth last year, arts and science colleges
and universities perceived a
threat of decline in the gross enrolment
ratio with no takers for the
conventional courses. Now they are
on a path of revival.
What would now happen to the
IT courses? Mr. Thiruvasagam said
that many colleges had converted
the science laboratories into computer
laboratories. This year they
would have to re-work on this and
also many of the newly-appointed
faculty would be underutilised.
"Colleges would have to use them
for those subjects that have integrated
computer applications in
them." Next stage would be to revamp
the IT courses to make them
attractive for students entering college
next year.
AMUTHA KANNAN
AMUTHA KANNAN
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