SHUBHANGI SHIFA
Ranchi, Jan 13: The common service centres opened at Ranchi University on December 14 last year have found a few takers. The CSCs are yet to gather enough students for a proper class even though online, whereas students in some departments don’t even have an inkling of the services and degrees offered by the CSCs, also called ‘pragya kendras’.
Notably, the centres have been opened at three locations in the RU campuses. These include one near the Aryabhatta auditorium campus and another in the Fine Arts department near Central Library in Morabadi, while the third centre has been set up near the DSW office in the RU campus in Shaheed Chowk.
While talking in this regard, Sumanta Kumar Sen, the coordinator at the CSC near the Aryabhatta campus said, “We have been informing students of the courses offered here by regularly visiting different departments. Several students have come up to us and taken admissions as they know well that several of our courses like Bhu Kaushal (Field Craft) for women, which is the study of understanding the workings of GPS and making maps, are free of cost and provide government degrees.”
When asked about the number of students that have visited he said, “100-200 students have visited within the month for small work, while a few have even taken admissions in some courses.”
While inaugurating the centres, VC Ajit Kumar Sinha had said that these centres could be used to fill out forms and other work online just as cyber cafes. When asked about this, Sen said, “We don’t have permission to get internet connection for all systems as of now; however, we have net connectivity for a couple of systems that we use.”
When asked about the centres, some students of the Physics department said they had no idea what they were, while others of the same department said that they were like Pragya Kendra and could be used for filling out forms.
Meanwhile, the one in the fine arts department says another story. Coordinator Ram Kumar when questioned stated that three students have taken up the Digital Wellness Course, two have taken admission in Data Entry, while one has shown interest in Soft Skills Course.
The CSC to date has four laptops that are used for all kinds of work for the number of students that visit it. However, it is yet to be determined if students take classes for the said courses at the centre itself, especially with the only system set up there. When asked of the internet connectivity, Kumar said, “For now, I use my own dongle for the net here.”
On the other hand, Praveen Kumar, the present handler of the centre in the absence of its coordinator at the centre near DSW offices in the RU campus said, “There are two laptops here and we have wi-fi connectivity here.”
Coordinator Abhitesh said, “We are working as a Pragya Kendra for the moment and provide help with documentation. However, we have also informed several students of the courses offered here. Some of these students have even filled up their forms and given them to us. However, now we are waiting to the go ahead. However, till now, we are yet to take classes.
Meanwhile, when asked about the CSC centres and courses to be started in them, the Ranchi University VC Prof Ajit Kumar Sinha said, “I am initially working on the centre set up near the science centre near the Aryabhatta auditorium campus. I plan to initially check the success if one centre and will slowly progress to begin work in the rest in a similar fashion.”
Regarding internet connectivity and systems, the VC said, “The MoU signed with the government mentions that the internet and other facilities will be provided by the government. However, I have also instructed CCDC to provide net connections at all three centres so that they can begin functioning as Pragya Kendras.”
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