Even as a government-appointed committee had given a go-ahead to some of the state colleges’ request for starting MSc course in biotechnology in July the state government is yet to sanction the approval.
Stating that the delay is likely to affect the future of over 90 per cent undergraduate biotech students, SIES College Vice-Principal M R Bhatia said: ‘‘Though there are around 1,000 undergraduate biotech students in Mumbai, there are only about 40 seats for MSc. What will the other 960 students do?’’
Several colleges like SIES College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Sion and Nerul, Patkar College in Goregaon, RKT College in Kalyan and Pendharkar College in Dombivli among others, which offer biotechnology course at the undergraduate level, had submitted applications to teach MSc-biotechnology to the University of Mumbai in October 2005.
The University had approved and forwarded the proposal to the state government after which the latter set up a committee to inspect the infrastructure of these colleges.
Joint Director of Technical Education Department M S Andhale, who had inspected the colleges in July, said: ‘‘I feel they can be given the go-ahead. But I can’t take any policy decision and have submitted my findings, so it’s up to the government now.’’ Minister of State Higher and Technical Education Dilip Walse-Patil said: ‘‘Certain infrastructural issues are under consideration.’’
Principal Secretary of State Higher and Technical Education Department Joyce Shankaran, added: ‘‘Since it’s a highly technical subject, we wanted to check whether their laboratories are up to the mark and have decided not to give our approval this year because it is quite late.’’
Besides the satisfactory findings of the panel, the colleges feel that there is no reason for the government to delay the sanction as there is no financial liability on the government—according to its policy, all new affiliations since 1997, come under no-grant basis and and the courses are self-aided.
These unnecessary delays have led some of the colleges to believe that vested interests within the department and government were delaying matters.
Amid the delays, the principal of one of the colleges feels that it is necessary to start the course in state colleges for students who cannot afford the high fees charged by international institutes.
‘‘The fee-structure in city colleges will be as per the university guidelines, which will be affordable and convenient,’’ he said.