Low turnout forces Ravenshaw to scrap self-financing courses Ravenshaw University has junked its plan to start three self-financing courses from this year. Entrance test for the courses have already been held but the idea was scrapped due to poor turnout on the day of the admission. The university had decided to introduce PG courses in yoga and business economics and a PG diploma course in clinical biochemistry and medical biotechnology. The courses were chalked out after much deliberation to provide students with career-oriented training.Entrance test for the three courses were conducted in the last week of May. Admissions were to take place on Friday. However, only six to seven students turned up for admissions in each of the three subjects."We were forced to stop the admission process as less than 16 students turned up for each course. It is not viable to run a self-financing course with so few students," said Dharmabrata Mohapatra, head of the economics department.While the MA course in yoga was to have 32 seats, the authorities had decided to admit 40 students in business economics and 20 in the PG diploma course in clinical biochemistry and medical biotechnology. Officials attributed the low turnout to the late announcement of the courses. "The courses were made public in April, so many students were not aware of them and could not apply on time. Next year, we will publicize the courses and I am sure they will receive a good response," added Mohapatra.The last-minute cancellation left the selected students perplexed. "This is so unfair. The authorities should not take such irrational decisions," said a candidate who wanted to take admission in business economics.The PG diploma in clinical biochemistry and medical biotechnology aimed at providing employment to students in the field of microbiology, clinical biochemistry, immunology and molecular diagnostics. This one-of-a-kind course was to cost Rs 50,000 a year. The yoga course fee was fixed at Rs 30,000 annually, and that of business economics was Rs 25,000 a year.

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