The number of students applying for postgraduate courses appears to be increasing with Bangalore University receiving 8,773 applications for the academic year 2012-13, about 1,300 more than last year, marking a renewed interest among students to secure a higher qualification in basic science, commerce and arts courses.
Though the rise in the number of applications is attributed to good pass percentage at the undergraduate, PUC and SSLC levels over the last few years, academicians are quick to ascribe the trend to better opportunities in the job market for postgraduates.
M.C. Radhakrishna, Chairman, Centralised PG Admission Committee, says that the increase in applications for postgraduate courses, particularly science, indicate these study programmes are no longer overshadowed by professional courses like engineering and medicine.
The favourite
The university has received the maximum applications for the science stream, followed by arts, commerce, and education. The least number of applications has been received for the course in law.
Prabhu Dev, Vice-Chancellor of Bangalore University, said the science stream, which had taken a backseat for several years, has now become one of the most preferred choices for students.
Pradeep Sideshwar, Professor of Mathematics, Central College, said that earlier there were not many takers for science because professional courses like engineering and medicine were highly sought after. “People have now realised that placements in professional courses have come down and have started thinking about alternatives. They have started enrolling for postgraduate courses in science.”
According to statistics provided by the University, some of the most popular courses in science are M.Sc. in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
Prof. Siddeshwar said those who study Mathematics are being absorbed not only in engineering colleges to teach but also by software companies and research and development (R and D) institutions.
K. Shivashankar, Associate Professor, Central College, Chemistry, said that the increase in applications for master’s in chemistry can be attributed to the job opportunities available in many chemical industries, pharmaceutical industries and R and D laboratories.
The arts stream has received 3,340 applications, making it the second in preference, this year.
New courses
Some of the new courses introduced by the University have many takers. The Master’s in Women Studies has received 737 applications. Bela Zutshi, Director, Centre for Women Studies, cites several reasons for this. She says that the course is inter-disciplinary and students from all backgrounds can apply. An increased awareness about women’s issues has created a job market for these students in various banks, corporate organisations and educational institutions.
Jagadish Prakash, Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication, said that almost all of his students have been absorbed by companies and offered attractive salaries.
Subjects such as rural development and social work have also seen a rise in applications. This is because students are aware that these courses can guarantee them a government job or a job in non-governmental organisations. But they also add that students who pursue unconventional courses are also the ones who have an interest and inclination towards societal issues.
Aarthi Lunia, a student of St. Anne’s College, wants to pursue postgraduation in arts as she believes that this qualification will help her fetch a better job with a higher remuneration. However, most commerce students feel that there are many job opportunities available for them after completing their bachelor’s degree.
“This is why most commerce students take up jobs instead of pursuing a master’s programme,” adds Freeda Miriam, a commerce student of St. Anne’s College. Ramachandra Gowda, Dean, Faculty of Commerce and Management, Central College, adds that unlike students of science and arts, commerce graduates have many options after completing their bachelor’s degree.
Nihal D’Souza, a law student, says that people prefer to practice soon after completing their five-year course, which is why the applications received at the postgraduation level in this subject are so low.
Girls outnumber boys
This year too, more girls have applied for PG courses. While 4,480 applications have been received from girls, 4,293 have been sent by boys. No transgender has applied for the postgraduate course. When asked for the reason behind this, Dr. Prabhu Dev says “Transgenders can apply to postgraduate courses only if they complete graduation. Most of them do not complete their bachelor’s degree, therefore are not eligible to apply.”
