Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 23: Recent controversy over no candidate from Jammu for 20 posts of Assistant Professor in Clinical Biochemistry has raised many eyebrows over the priorities of Jammu University, which has failed to introduce this highly significant subject.
All the 35 candidates shortlisted by the Public Service Commission were from Kashmir University, which offers M Sc in Clinical Biochemistry and has a full fledged department of the subject for the last several years.
The fact of the matter is that the state of Biochemistry subject is very bad in Jammu region whereas in Kashmir University, a full fledged Biochemistry Department is being run since 1982 offering M Sc course (35 seats), M Phil and Ph D courses. Approximately 50 students have done their Ph D only from Kashmir University.
Jammu University too had started M Sc course in Biochemistry in the year 2004 but as self financing course with course fee Rs 2 lakhs. Even after 16 years, the Jammu University is still offering this M Sc course on self financing basis and the students after clearing JUET have to pay Rs 1.75 lakh as the fee.
On the other hand, students in Kashmir University don’t have to pay this hefty fee. As a result, poor and good students from Jammu region are not coming forward for admission in this very important subject.
Another issue is that in spite of paying this hefty amount, there is no Department of Biochemistry in JU and students are taught by teachers from Biotechnology Department. No faculty with Biochemistry specialization has been appointed till date and only Contractual staff on temporary arrangement having degrees in Biochemistry, Microbiology and Chemistry are teaching for the last 16 years.
Hence, a total of 70 students per year are doing M Sc in Biochemistry/Clinical biochemistry from Kashmir University whereas only maximum of 15 students are doing M Sc per year from Jammu University, that too on self financing basis.
A number of times, seats in JU remain vacant with only 3-5 admissions because of the high fee, which was recently been reduced from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 1.75 lakh. Obviously higher number of students are doing M Phil and Ph D from Kashmir University as compared to JU.
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