Chandigarh, July 7 (Inditop.com) Students and faculty at Panjab University, one of India’s oldest varsities, are pulling out all stops to help harried admission seekers, many of whom hail from outside Chandigarh. From downloading forms to giving guidance to flashing information on an LCD screen, they are doing it all in the sweltering heat.
The admission process has been on since last week and the campus wears a festive look, with a huge rush of young faces around colourful tents that have been erected right beside the main inquiry block. All major student parties have set up these tents to help anxious students and parents.
“On an average, every day we are attending to around 500 to 600 new students. We are distributing admission forms free of cost, helping them fill the forms and also accompanying them to submit the form,” Babloo Singh, a volunteer of the Students’ Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU), told IANS.
Hemant Boriwal, a volunteer of the Panjab University Students’ Union (PUSU), said, “The idea is to make the admission process more hassle-free. The information we are providing here is accurate and authentic. We also have details of the previous years’ cut-offs and contact numbers of faculty members to help the students.”
“Moreover, if we help the freshers at this time then we can easily win their loyalty. It would certainly guarantee their vote in favour of our party in the next students’ council elections!” he said.
Panjab University is one of the oldest universities of the country. It was established in 1882 at Lahore and was shifted to Chandigarh in 1956. But it has not shied away from new ways.
In fact this year the authorities have also made elaborate arrangements to assist students. They have installed an LCD screen outside the University Institute of Allied Management Sciences adjacent to the inquiry hall.
“Thousands of outstation students from states like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir come here for admissions. Seeing the problems faced by them we have come up with these things,” Naval Kishore, dean, students’ welfare, told IANS.
The LCD screen is visible even from a distance and continuously displays information regarding admission in various departments and hostel accommodation. It offers information on the admission procedure, eligibility criteria, fee structure, available seats and dates of counselling.
The university authorities have also come with their own help desk – which is apart from the regular inquiry block – with two senior teachers present there to guide students from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This is the first time in Panjab University that faculty members are also sitting at the help desk. Hostel wardens are also present.
“Many times students commit mistakes while applying, leading to rejection of their forms. But now they can avail of all the information from experts sitting at the help desk,” said Naval Kishore.
Currently there are over 10,000 students – of whom 70 percent are girls – who study in over 60 teaching and research departments in the varsity.
Hemant Negi, another aspirant, who graduated from Shimla University, said: “I am amazed to see students sitting in the tents to help us in this sweltering summer. They are very friendly and helpful and even offered us water and eatables.
“The LCD screen was also very helpful as it addressed 90 percent of my doubts regarding admission and hostel facility.”
