Varsity rebuffs Presidency

kolkata: the board of studies of calcutta university has turned down the proposal for introducing postgraduate studies in applied economics in presidency college. this was informed by the principal, amitava chatterjee. chatterjee said although both the syndicate and the inspection team sent by the university has approved the proposal of introducing post graduate studies in four other subjects, they ruled out applied economics.the four subjects which have been approved are: physiology, botany, geography and hindi. already, physics, chemistry, geology and zoology are being taught at the post-graduate level in the college. chatterjee said they would approach the university for introducing four more subjects, including english, at the pg level next year. he said the college could not get the approval for applied economics because there was no mention of such a subject in the statute of the university. the inspection team which visited the college was under the impression that the college had asked for the approval of introducing economics at the pg level. chatterjee said the college had begun framing the syllabus for applied economics, and was almost 80 per cent through with the job. however, he hoped the subject would be approved later. if introduced, no student will go to study economics at jnu, he added. ne students: chatterjee admitted on friday that the number of students from the north-eastern states seeking admission to the college has come down. the reason, he said, is that the students of late have not been given any preferential treatment in the admission procedure. chatterjee said that the college this year has followed a government order of 1984, which said that if an sc/st candidate migrates from his home state to another state, he will not be given any protection.