Additional seats to private Agri institute draws flak

Mysuru: The Academic Council meeting of University of Mysore (UoM) was held at Crawford Hall here yesterday which was chaired by In-charge Vice-Chancellor Prof. T.K. Umesh. Registrar Prof. R. Rajanna said that Sampoorna International Institute of Agri Science and Horticulture Technology in Maddur taluk of Mandya district was functioning for the last four years with good infrastructure offering B.Sc (Honours) courses in Agricultural Science and Horticulture Technology with a permitted intake of 60 students. He tabled a proposal of the said Institute seeking permission to increase the intake by another 60 students. Prof. Umesh and Registrar (Evaluation) Prof. J. Somashekar brought to the notice of the Academic Council members that the University Study Committee had inspected the said Institute and confirmed that the available infrastructure was pretty good and in order. They added that the University Syndicate had approved an increase in the intake sought by the Institute. They also said that the process of admission at the Institute for 2018-19 had already commenced. Council Members Appaji Gowda, C. Basavaraj, Kariyappa and others took service exception to the decision of the University in honouring the proposal of the said institute for an increased intake of students. They contended that when there are separate Universities to offer Agriculture and Horticulture courses, they questioned the rationale of UoM to offer same courses in a private institute. They also questioned as to how the admissions be started at the institute for 2018-19 before it was decided at the Academic Council Meeting. They opined that the additional intake of 60 students should be denied for the Institute. The meeting also discussed on increased admission to PG courses in Government First Grade College, revamping the syllabus of BBA (Tourism and Hospitality) and other topics. Council Chairman S. Srikantaswamy and others were present.