Calicut University Registrar E.K. Satheesh has said that the Syndicate will urge the Lakshadweep Administration to continue its BA (Arabic) course considering the high number of students.
In a release on Tuesday, he said that the course was also part of the university's UNESCO chair on regional studies. Mr. Satheesh said it was the education officer, representing the administrator during an online meet on July 12 to renew the tie-up with the university, who sought cancellation of the postgraduate degree courses and BA (Arabic). The officer had said that very few students had been seeking admissions for the PG courses and the pass percentage had been low as well. There were no students in the MA (Arabic) course in 2020-22 academic year. Only nine and two students, respectively, had joined the PG courses in English and Economics. There is only one student in M.Sc.(Maths) and eight in the 12-seat MSc (Aquaculture). Last year, the number of students for English, Economics, and Mathematics were one, three and two, respectively, though all these PG course have 15 seats.
The education officer had pointed out that the one student in MA (Arabic) in 2019-21 had failed. There were no students in MSc (Aquaculture) in 2018-20. Only seven students had joined for the M.Com course in 2020-22 though it had 20 seats. The number was 11 in the previous year. The officer claimed that the students prefer to study either in Kerala or anywhere outside the island. Thus, all these courses and undergraduate courses in Arabic and Political Science were proposed to be discontinued.
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Mr. Satheesh said that it was the Lakshadweep Administration which sought setting up of university study centres, which were established in Kadamat, Kavaratti, and Andrott in 2005. Salary for the staff and the infrastructure is borne out by the island administration. The university’s role is confined to appointment of the staff and conduct of courses and exams. The university cannot overrule the proposal of the administration to discontinue the courses, he added.