Managements of colleges affiliated to Bangalore University (BU) may be on tenterhooks as the affiliation process is on hold even though the admission process is under way.
But at the meeting of the university’s Academic Council here on Wednesday, Council and Syndicate members indulged in vocal slugfest, resulting in continuing uncertainty over affiliations.
With Syndicate members being invited, perhaps, for the first time in their capacity as chairpersons of the Local Inquiry Committees (LICs), the high-voltage meeting started off with a clash of egos.
Syndicate member Zaheda Mulla called it “humiliating” for them to be called to explain their reports. Simultaneously, Vice-Chancellor N. Prabhu Dev and Registrar (Administration) B.C. Mylarappa argued on stage over some appointments.
In the ensuing chaos that saw many heated exchanges, only five out of the 10 LIC reports were approved without objections. Of the remaining, it was decided that some glaring loopholes would be looked into without scrapping all the recommendations.
Consequences
“These colleges will be revisited,” said Dr. Prabhu Dev. He admitted that the academic calendar may be affected due to this, at least in those colleges which are under the scanner. But the process will be completed in a week, he said.
Some of the colleges, mostly offering B.Ed., which will be revisited, are Ravi College of Education (Kolar), Vijayanagar College of Education (Bangalore), SJES College of Education (Bangalore), Suguna B.Ed. College (Kolar), St. Francis B.Ed. College, Kala Niketan College of Education (Bangalore), St. Francis B.Ed. College (Bangalore) and Danamma Channabasavaiah College of Arts, Commerce, Science and Management (Kolar). In the case of Padmashree College of Education, the Council decided not to grant affiliation as it lacked basic infrastructure.
LICs’ overhaul
Amid the ruckus, calls for an overhaul of the affiliation granting system grew louder. Ms. Zaheda Mulla said that a refresher course should be held for the LIC members. Council member R. Karuna Moorthy said that the inspections cannot be “threadbare” ( sic ) as that would result in a majority of colleges not getting affiliated.
Syndicate member K.V. Acharya, whose LIC was accused of inspecting a college which “didn’t exist” (thanks to near-nil infrastructure), felt colleges should be encouraged and some leniency should be exercised during inspection.
Public funds
T.H. Sreenivasaiah, Syndicate member, added: “If we become strict, near 500 colleges should be closed down.” He suggested that a representative of the Department of Collegiate Education accompany LICs to ensure that public funds are not being misused in government colleges.
Prof. Mylarappa, who spoke to reporters later, said that the tradition of “cut-and-paste” LIC reports needs to change. “More LICs should be formed with professors heading them. They should be given at least a month’s time,” he added.
