Koi info nathi

With Plus Two results out, anxious students have started thronging the Gujarat University (GU) for admission and information. And as always, the data is hard to come by. While the clerk manning the enquiry counter of the varsity is least interested in helping out anxious students, the state-of-the-art information centre, ready for inauguration since February, 2009, is yet to be operational.

Sandwiched between the laggard varsity official and the closed information centre, students seeking admission to GU are suffering. The pictures say it all. The construction of the fully computerised information centre was complete in early February this year. Vice-Chancellor (VC) Parimal Trivedi wanted Chief Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate it, along with a few other buildings, of the varsity. Modi initially gave his consent to do the honours. But the chief minister, said sources, refused to take part in the function after it was brought to his notice that some of the buildings were inaugurated earlier.

Since then, the swanky information centre with hi-fi infrastructure is lying defunct even as students are having a torrid time seeking data on GU campus.

YEH AARAM KA MAMLA HAIN! This cool dude varsity clerk doesn’t seem too bothered about students’ queries. Below is the Gujarat University’s Information Centre, which is equipped with 25 computers, three touch-screen kiosks, an LCD TV, 300 telephone lines and even an ATM! But then, it’s shut Yeh hain GU mere yaar!!
Jayesh Makwana, a student seeking admission to GU’s graduation course, said: “I have been visiting the varsity campus for the last three days and spent several hours seeking information from one place to another, but I’m still clueless about the colleges offering professional courses with B Com. The enquiry counter remains closed mostly. Once it was open, but the official manning it could not give me satisfactory response. The computerised information centre could have made my task easier.”

The state-of-the-art data centre of GU is equipped with 25 computers with internet connection. All of them are connected to the university’s high-profile server. There are three touch-screen kiosks, from where students can seek information themselves. Besides provision for enquiry and certificate desks, an LCD has been installed at the centre to display latest information regarding the varsity. It has 300 telephone lines and an ATM as well.

Had the varsity authorities inaugurated the centre before the admission time, course and eligibility information would have been just a click or a call away. Applicants could have checked the cut-off scores for admission in different courses by using the touch-screens. Those unable to visit the varsity could have sought the information over telephone. But that was not to be. Despite infrastructure in place, students still have to run from one window to another to get the right information.

Manish Doshi, a Syndicate member of GU, said: “Students have to run from one room to another for information. The VC should take initiative to make the information centre operational immediately. If required, he should drop the idea of unveiling it in presence of a VIP.”When Ahmedabad Mirror apprised the VC of the trouble of the admission seekers and the necessity of the information centre, Trivedi, who will complete his tenure on June 22, said: “The information centre will be inaugurated by June 15.”

Former GU VC AU Patel, the predecessor of Trivedi, had mooted the idea of setting up the fully computerised information centre in 2005. Four years on, the swanky information centre was ready. Besides helping admission seekers, the information centre can be of help for those seeking transcripts (mandatory for admission to foreign universities), eligibility certificates or migration certificates. Now pupils have to run from one place to another to procure requisite forms, verify documents, pay fee, students to procure these. Once the information centre is inaugurated, all these can be done in a jiffy through one window.