Patna University: DDE awaits UGC’s nod to admit pupils to various progs

PATNA: Even as Patna University (PU) has started the process of online admission of students to all its undergraduate courses for the 2021-2022 session, its Directorate of Distance Education (DDE) is waiting for the nod of a competent authority to admit students.
PU has requested the Distance Education Bureau (DEB) of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to grant permission for at least one more year for admitting students to its various courses in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fresh admission to any course under the DDE in the current academic session will be initiated only after the DEB’s permission.
The 47-year-old institution of PU, which once used to attract thousands of students, has been facing difficulties in admitting students due to the recent decision of the UGC to allow only universities with an ‘A’ grade to run courses under distance education. PU has been accredited with ‘B+’ grade.
Earlier, PU’s DDE was derecognized by the UGC four years ago on account of various shortcomings. The recognition was restored for one session (2019-2020) on the condition that it would meet all the requirements within the given time frame.
Last year, PU approached the UGC again with a request to consider its demand for extending the period of recognition in view of the fact that the university had applied for reaccreditation by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council. On October 14, 2020 the UGC conceded PU’s request and extended its recognition by a year.
Consequently, admission of students to its various courses were made in November-December last year. However, the university could not cut much ice in improving its grade owing to the emergence of the second wave of Covid-19. Hence, PU has requested the UGC to extend the period of its recognition at least by one more year.
DDE chief Khagendra Kumar told this newspaper that the institution was imparting education to only students admitted in the 2019-2022 and 2020-2023 sessions.
“Even as PU is hopeful of getting further extension, it is contemplating to start admission to all its four PG diploma courses in journalism, financial management, marketing management and operations management for the time being. The advisory committee of the DDE is also being reconstituted by PU with a view to ensuring its efficient functioning,” he added.