Ranchi, July 28: Racing against time to beat the September 20 deadline, postgraduate heads of the arts and commerce departments of Ranchi University acknowledged they were being forced to condense the courses to complete the syllabus.

“We are confident of finishing our syllabus long before September 20. I do sympathise with the students in general, as it is not possible to cover even a condensed syllabus in such a short period. If the session has to be regularised, some students will have to suffer,” said S.K. Sinha, psychology head. His economics counterpart S.P. Mishra and a senior geography teacher also claimed that their departments had completed 90 per cent of the course.

Refuting the teachers’ claim that courses were almost on the verge of completion, students said their professors had been selective even with the condensed syllabi and only guess questions were being taught.

Political science head Gouri Ghosh said her department had completed 95 per cent of the prescribed course. But the students retorted that the “course” comprised only guess questions. “This is no PG class, it seems we are sitting in private coaching classes just to secure a degree. The head is telling a deliberate lie that almost 95 per cent of the classes have been finished,” said a group of postgraduate students.

The students argued that for them to pursue higher education, it was imperative that proper classes are taken. “We are serious students and we want to appear in tests such as NET. We do not want to have a certificate only. We want complete classes. We are being made a scapegoat by the university, which wants to experiment with sessions,” said a student, who did not wish to be named.

Senior political science professor J.P. Singh backed the students, saying: “Gross injustice is being done to the students, for by the time they come to understand the syllabus, they are forced to face the examination. The boys and girls are under tremendous pressure. The university should patiently listen to the students’ demand and not make it a prestige issue.”

Commerce head B. Prasad disagreed. “Even without condensing the course, we have completed the entire syllabus and our students are ready to take the examination. Those who are making a hue and cry are more interested in politics.”

The students of M.A./M.Sc/M.Com 2000-02 session, whose final examinations have been re-scheduled from September 20 after a protest last week, are firm on their demand for a November date. The university had initially announced that the exams would begin from September 5.

“Vice chancellor S.S. Kushwaha has deceived us. He assured us he would provide enough breathing space to us but deferred the date only by 15 days. We are not going to buy this solution. We are not going to settle for anything less than a November date, for it is a question of our future,” said a PG student, adding that a massive protest has been lined up for tomorrow.