RTMNU’s Pub Admin dept fails to get students for self-govt courses'
| Date :26-Apr-2019 |
By Vikas Vaidya:
Private body ‘All India Institute of Local Self-government’ attracting many students
Govt stops increment Reliable sources in Government said that the two increments which were being given to those who were completing the courses, have been stopped. This has discouraged people from taking admissions to the course. This has also stopped this ideal process of capacity building. Some Municipal Councils passed resolutions and started giving this increment at their levels, but they are not disclosing it
Where Public Administration Department of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) failed to get students for the courses of local self-government, the private body All India Institute of Local Self Government is attracting good numbers of students every year. Though the University has not yet discontinued the courses, its authorities are worried if they may have to do so in near future, despite the fact that the fees for the varsity courses are much lesser than those run by private institution. At least so far, the marketing efforts by University authorities have not yielded desirable results and the numbers of students continue to dwindle. The University had started these courses for the people working at various positions.
The purpose of running those courses is to impart job skills into these employees so that they become aware of administrative nuances and deliver better results. Dr Neelima Deshmukh, former Head of Department of Public Administration said, “I headed the department till 2017 from 1995 and succeeded to run the courses. Unfortunately the number got dwindled from 40 to 5. We tried our best to get the students but running a course with less than 5 students was a difficult task. Actually the course was wonderful. It is a diploma course of Local Self Government Diploma (LSGD) where the people working with municipal council, Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), Gram Panchayat, Cantonment Board, Industrial Townships.
The course is very much helpful for these employees and administration too. They used to get two increments if they complete the course.” Dr S P Kane, Vice-Chancellor of RTMNU admitted that the course had no-takers and he was informed by the department that for the last two years, not a single student had taken admission to the course which has intake of 60. “We have not officially closed the course as we wanted that students should do the course. They would be benefited if they do the course,” pointed out Dr Kane. According to Jayant Pathak of All India Institute of Local Self Government, University used to run one course--LSGD and it was only for Panchayat Raj Institutions so its scope was limited. Whereas the private body runs Local Self Government Services Diploma (LSGSD) course also. “We run two Local self govt diplomas and our courses are beneficial for the employees working in NMC, NIT, Municipal Councils, Cantonment Board etc.
The vastness of our course is more. We get 20 to 22 students every year, added Pathak. Jayant Pathak had tried to urge Corporators also to take admission to these courses but only Varsha Thakre took admission. “LSGD started in 1926 and British circular was issued in 1930 which had asked local self governments to give two increments to those who complete the course. Maharashtra’s Urban Development Department too has made it mandatory for the staff of municipal councils, corporations and others,” informed Pathak.
The courses are for everybody. Any graduate can take admission to these courses. “We hire faculties from Public Administration, Law, engineers, architects. Sometimes we invite people who are working in sanitation engineering, property tax etc to get the students practical knowledge. Subjects like Human Resource, Sociology, Law of meetings, engineering services are in the course,” said Pathak. All India Institute of Local Self Government also provides course material, project reports, case studies. The final examination is conducted in an impartial way. University’s Public Administration Department teacher disagrees with what Pathak said that the department conducted courses only for Panchayat Raj Institutions. Department Professor told ‘The Hitavada’, “Courses run by Department are at par with that of private institution. We are the pioneer in this region. Our courses are meant to help to all the employees working in local self government institutions. Secondly, we charge about Rs 1,000 only as compared to the fees charged by the private institute which is Rs 9,500/-. Students must notice it and get themselves admitted.”