Cuttack, June 1: The authorities of Ravenshaw University have decided to take over various self-financing courses being offered under public-private-partnership mode since 2011.

“We have decided to conduct the self-financing courses directly from the 2014-15 academic sessions without involving private players,” said vice-chancellor B.C. Tripathy.

Courses including BSc information technology and management (ITM), MSc ITM, Bsc information science and technology (IST), BBA, MSc in electronics and telecommunications and masters in journalism and mass communications were being offered through self-financing mode by Star Computers Private Limited and Heritage Vision Education Trust.

Varsity officials said that earlier UGC in a letter issued in November last year, had instructed all universities not to run the courses with private participation.

Though the private players running the self-financing courses at Ravenshaw had filed a petition, the local court while adjudicating the case has authorised the varsity to run the courses independently.

“Based on the UGC directive, we have decided not to renew the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with private parties, which is expiring in August this year,” Tripathy said.

On the other hand, private players running the self-financing courses claimed to have necessary court orders to run the courses for the 2014-15 academic sessions, as their MoU is still in force.

“The court has issued a stay order on the status quo of the MoU and the order clearly says that there is no violation of the guidelines according to UGC letter. Hence, admissions in the self-financing courses can take place as the MoU is still in force,” said Biswajit Mohanty, managing director of Star Computers Private limited.

Mohanty said that reasons cited by the vice-chancellor of Ravenshaw University were untrue, as executive council so far has not approved such a decision. The decision of the Ravenshaw authorities to take over the courses has elicited mixed response, as the students and their guardians are now confused whether to opt for the self-financing courses at the varsity or not owing to the ongoing controversy between the authorities and the private players.

“Many of my seniors had got placements after undergoing courses being offered under the public-private-partnership mode which was par excellence. But now I am worried over the fate of such courses even though the admission process is likely to start in few days,” said a student.

However, senior officials of Ravenshaw University said the students willing to opt for the self-financing courses need not to worry, as adequate steps will be taken for imparting quality education.