VCS TO MEET GOVERNOR TO DISCUSS UNIFORM VARSITY TESTS

Patna, May 13: The state government wants a single examination for undergraduate and postgraduate courses across all state universities, a proposal that would be difficult to implement.

The education department has agreed to form the higher education examination board to conduct university examinations much on the lines of the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB), which conducts the matriculation and Intermediate examinations.

The vice-chancellors (VCs) of all state universities would attend a meeting in Raj Bhavan tomorrow (Saturday) to discuss the issue.

If the Raj Bhavan gives its consent towards the formation of the higher education examination board, Bihar would be the first state in country to constitute higher education examination board - an effort by which the state government aims at improving and regularising university education.

State education minister Ashok Choudhary said: "Our department has given its consent to form the higher education examination board." He added that the biggest advantage of higher education examination board would be regularisation of the academic session of all universities, as the board would conduct a single examination. The results for all universities would also be declared on time.

The minister's statement assumes importance, as apart from Patna University, the academic session of many universities in the state runs late. The department has set up a three-member committee, headed by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University vice-chancellor Pandit Phalande to form the board. The other members of the committee are Patna University pro-VC Ranjeet Kumar Verma and vice-president of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan Kameshwar Jha.

At the Saturday meeting, the constitution of higher education examination board would be discussed. Governor-cum-chancellor of state universities Ram Nath Kovind would chair the meeting. Sources said if a consensus emerges on the constitution of higher education examination board among the VCs, Raj Bhavan is likely to give its nod too.

However, before the meeting, many teachers and VCs opposed the idea.

A VC of a state university, preferring anonymity, said: "For a state like Bihar, where universities run with half the sanctioned strength of teachers, non-teaching staff and poor infrastructure, the constitution of a higher education examination board doesn't seem a wise decision."

"How can the education department do justice with students of universities/colleges, where courses are hardly completed on time by holding a single examination process?"

The Federation of University Teachers' Associations of Bihar (Futab), too, opposed the idea. Sanjay Kumar Singh, the general secretary of Futab, the highest teachers' body in the state, said: "We seriously object to the idea of conducting university examinations by a board at the state level. Any examination conducted outside the university system will raise serious doubt over the competence of universities in granting degrees."

He also questioned whether degrees given by the board would be acceptable or not to other universities, especially outside state. "Also whether the Association of Universities has accepted the proposal to constitute examination board or not," added Singh.