JOIN USWith the government setting the ball rolling on the plan to divide Bangalore University (BU) into three, the move has got the thumbs up from a wide section of students and former students.
Over the years, BU has come to be known for a number of negative trends, ranging from delay in declaring results to widespread malpractice in evaluation. It seemed as if this humongous university with over 600 colleges under it was bursting at the seams and unable to control the institutions and processes under it.
It is for reasons such as these that Akash Jain, a first year student of Jain College, VV Puram, is happy that some active steps are being taken towards addressing the problems. He is of the opinion that the reduced size and consequent reduction in the workload will greatly help address all the above issues.
“Dividing the university will be a good move. There are lakhs of students under it and students from faraway districts such as Kolar and Ramanagara find it extremely difficult to come to Bengaluru for every issue relating to their marks cards, admissions, etc. No doubt the transition will be very difficult initially, but then it will be all for good,” he said.
Asked whether the status of the two new universities carved out of BU would be any different quality-wise, Akash said, “It would be the same as before, as they are carved out the same university and not established independently.”
Many who studied, or are presently studying under the BU, would be well aware of the pace with which things progress here. Ask Anand Kumar, a former MBA student of the university who passed out recently and is presently working in a bank.
“The college is so huge and there is no co-ordination between the various sections. One cannot simply find a file pertaining to a particular issue immediately and one has to go to the university a number of times just to obtain that file or piece of information. The workload on the staff is too heavy. When we compare BU with other universities, we will come to realise the problems. For instance, most universities would have announced their results, when BU would be only in the process of evaluating the papers. When one even gets admission to any course, the authorities are not even sure of the joining date,” says Anand.
Another student, Sunil Kolar, who passed out of a college in Kolar in 2014, said the situation was “extremely problematic” when any issue relating to the results and marks cards came up.
There are, however, others like Prem S, a student leader representing the ABVP, who is of the belief that dividing BU into three would be too big a financial burden on the government and that an earlier plan to bifurcate BU would be the better of all the ideas. “Also, the number of autonomous colleges and private universities is gradually increasing and the burden on BU is decreasing,” he said.