At GU, courses are a strictly private affair

On July 16, the executive council met and decided to start the course and, on the same day, affiliation was given to nine institutions, raising a lot of questions. How did these institutions know the BCA course was being started? On what basis were their applications entertained? The same was the case with the allotment of self-financed B Com classes.

At least five of the institutions are either run by, or are connected to, influential people. The Ahmedabad Education Society is run byindustrialist Shrenik Kasturbhai, the Dharamsinh Desai Foundation is run by former acting vice-chancellor H M Desai, the Gujarat Law Society is run by executive council member Sudhir Nanavati, the Sardar Vallabhbhai Education Trust is run by the late Chimanbhai Patel’s family and the Som-Lalit Education and Research Foundation by Pro-Vice-Chancellor K S Shastri’s son.

Vice-Chancellor S B Vora dismissed the question of transparency, saying, “There is no precedent of the university inviting applications from colleges by advertisements”. Shastri said the affiliations were given after a mandatory review of the institutions by a need committee and the decision was taken by the executive council “unanimously”.

But a Senate member said on condition of anonymity, that unanimity was only to be expected when the council consisted almost entirely of members of the Adhyapak Mandal, headed by Shastri, and representatives of influential private institutions whose interests were always taken care of.

He pointedout that the Som-Lalit Education and Research Foundation Institute, the Ahmedabad Education Society, and the Gujarat Law Society had all been permitted to start self-financed classes of B Com, BCA as well as Bachelor of Business Administration. “Why is it that the same institutions figure in every list?” he asked.

Another Senate member said the university, by taking advantage of the lacunae in the rules, was functioning arbitrarily. “As a public institution utilising the taxpayers’ money, is it not their duty to function in a transparent manner?” the member asked.

Interestingly, Shrenik Kasturbhai said that at a joint meeting of college managements recently, the question of transparency was raised. At that time, he said, Sudhir Nanavati of the Gujarat Law Society had said the GU was still ready to give permission to institutions interested in starting new courses. “Until that time, I too was in the dark about the issue,” he said.

Yet, asked about the lack of transparency, Kasturbhai remarked, “Ifthe university authorities had actually decided everything by themselves, then they should have announced it through the newspapers. But I do not know the details”. He then hastened to add, “I think institutions interested in starting new courses should remain in touch with the GU.”

Under University rules, a college has to submit an application in the previous academic year if it wants to start a new course. But applications for both the B Com and BCA courses were received only this year and yet, permissions were granted. Shastri said there have been numerous instances in the past when the university entertained late applications in the interest of students’ careers.

However, no careers are at stake, at least in the BCA’s case. Rather, the students are likely to suffer because the institutions lack the staff and laboratories, though they will charge hefty fees. Of course, the university rules allow them to arrange for staff and laboratories after getting affiliation — and they take full advantage. Forexample, many institutions which were given permission for starting the BBA course in 1997 are still managing with part-time and visiting teachers.