JU departments be allowed to set their own parameters for admitting students to UG courses: Teachers' body

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Asserting there should not be a uniform policy to decide the merit of candidates, a teachers' body in Jadavpur University (JU) on Monday demanded that departments in arts and science faculties be allowed to set their own parameters for admitting students to undergraduate courses. As class 12 examination results have been declared, the institute must decide on policies, principles, norms and modalities with respect to the admission of students to arts and science courses, Jadavpur University Teachers' Association (JUTA) general secretary Parthapratim Roy said in a statement.

The university must also decide on formulae for preparing the merit lists, it said.

"These formulae may not be uniform, and may vary quite widely from department to department. This must not be discouraged as the needs of each subject and the expectations from candidates, in terms of their academic performance, will vary from subject to subject. There cannot be a single uniform policy for deciding merit," the statement said.

While preparing their formulae for determining the merit of the aspirants, departments may consider aspects of a candidate's performance in the class 10 examinations and marks obtained in a particular subject or several subjects, it said.

Citing an example, the JUTA said the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) did not conduct examination for the physics paper this year and awarded marks for the subject based on a student's performance in other subjects.

"In this particular case, if a JU department decides to give some weightage to a candidate's performance in mathematics or physical science papers in class 10 examinations, it should be allowed," the statement said.

The JUTA also demanded that the departments be allowed to decide on the allotment of seats to candidates from different boards and a uniform policy should not be imposed.

Since board examinations for several papers could not be conducted due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it has become "practically impossible" to take admission tests in those subjects, even in the online mode, the statement said.

Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Chiranjib Bhattacharya said the university will decide on the modalities of admission to undergraduate courses by next week.

"We will hold discussions with stakeholders including faculty members by next week and then arrive at a decision mutually agreeable to everyone concerned," Bhattacharya told PTI.

The process for admission to undergraduate courses offered by JU is scheduled to begin in August.