IUSF angered over reduction of students by UGC

February 1, 2012, 9:27 pm , The Island.

by Dasun Edirisinghe

Undergraduates of the Peradeniya University’s Management Department are angered over the University Grants Commission (UGC) reducing the number of students for the course from next year.

Convener of the Inter University Students’ Federation Sanjeewa Bandara told The Island that according to the UGC handbook, issued for the next academic year, the number of students to the Management Course of the Peradeniya University had been cut down to 50.

"It was 150 last year," he said adding that this was an example of the government reducing free education opportunities while paving the way for private universities.

He said that they launched a protest demanding the establishment of a Management Faculty in the university and against reduction of students for the course. This was the government’s response.

According to him, the Management Department of the university currently functions under the Arts Faculty and students have been urging for a Management Faculty at Peradeniya for about three years.

Bandara said that currently, there were nearly 600 students, but the immediate past batch faced several difficulties due to lack of facilities as well as shortage of staff.

"University management promised to increase facilities and a new building for the department, but now they have reduced student intake," he said.UGC Chairman Prof. Gamini Samaranayake when contacted for comments said that a department cannot be converted into a faculty overnight.

He said most of faculties in Sri Lankan universities started as departments and they turned into faculties after a long process.

Prof. Samaranayake said that however last time they entered a double batch as they did not admit students to the course in the previous year.

According to him, the UGC did not reduce the total number of students who were admitted to the management courses in universities countrywide.