Against 100 seats, only 35 students enrolled for first session in sports university
PATIALA : Only 35 students have been enrolled for the first academic session of the Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Sports University that commenced here on Tuesday.
Fifteen students have taken admission in the post-graduate diploma in yoga, while 20 students have been enrolled for bachelor of physical education and sports. Both the courses have 50 seats each. The university had initially planned to start four courses, but due to procedural delays, the authorities could not start the other two courses — bachelor of physiotherapy and bachelor of sports sciences — in the first session.
“The response was poor as authorities failed to finalise the curriculum and complete other formalities well within time. Both the vice-chancellor and the registrar are not from academic background, thus it took time to chalk out the modalities,” said an official of the university, seeking anonymity.
While Lt Gen JS Cheema (retd) is the university vicechancellor (V-C), IAS officer Surabhi Malik holds the additional charge of the registrar. She is the chief administrator of the Patiala Development Authority. Besides, there was no proper advertising to make the aspiring youth aware of the functioning of the new university, the official added.
He said that it was after the intervention of the chief minister’s office that Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) V-C Dr Jaspal Singh Sandhu was roped in to finalise the curriculum and complete other formalities. It was after Sandhu’s involvement that admissions could finally take place.
Lt Gen JS Cheema (retd) said, “Though the number of students is less, it is more important that a beginning has been made.”
He said classes will be conducted on the campus of the Physical Education College, Patiala, and for the time being, the authorities have asked the college staff to undertake the teaching work for the university.
He said that the administrative office of the university will be ready in the next few days at Mahindra Kothi in Patiala. The university campus will come up at Sidhuwal village in the district where land has been acquired for the purpose.
The state cabinet had approved the Punjab Sports University Ordinance-2019, on June 6, paving way for the establishment of the university. Subsequently, a notification in this regard was issued on July 22.
Notably, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has given the university permission to award degrees by conducting courses through its own departments, constituent colleges or through its affiliated colleges, in regular mode with the approval of statutory bodies/councils concerned, wherever it is required.
The university has been set up to promote education in the areas of sports sciences, sports technology, sports management and sports coaching. It will focus on education, training and research in areas related to sports, besides offering professional and academic leadership to other institutions in the field of physical education and sports sciences.
15 STUDENTS TAKE ADMISSION IN PG DIPLOMA IN YOGA, 20 IN BACHELOR COURSE IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION; BOTH COURSES HAVE 50 SEATS EACH