LAHORE: For the first time in its over 150 years history, the Government College University (GCU) is all set to open its admissions at intermediate level for girl students from 2021.

“I have got a lot of feedback that girls also want to become Ravians. Even my own daughters regret not being able to become a Ravian as after intermediate they will move to medical or engineering universities…so I have decided to start work for allowing girl students to take admissions at the GCU in FA/FSc from 2021,” GCU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi said in a talk with Dawn.

Prof Zaidi believes that the GCU will have to make separate merit for boys and girls for intermediate considering that the girls may otherwise take away most of the seats. “We are pursuing gender parity here and this step will also help the GC University secure even more top positions in the intermediate [board] exams,” he said and added that the varsity had also sought funds from Punjab’s Planning and Development department for establishing a new hostel for girls.

“For admission to the intermediate, girls will come from other parts of the country so we need to first have our own hostel for them.”

Prof Zaidi, who assumed the office about eight months ago, has also declared that the GCU would make sure that not a single admission on sports this year is made in violation of merit.

“There were complaints in the past that sports remained an area exploited for out of merit admissions… this is something I will have to plug out.”

To cope with Covid-19 times, the GCU has switched to online teaching and for the purpose it trained its faculty and revised courses.

“Like other institutions, we too faced the issue of internet connectivity. We asked the Higher Education Commission for help and guidance. We are grateful that the HEC Islamabad has given us additional funds along with almost 10,000 software licences of Microsoft 365, free of charge, in connection with our online classes this semester,” the VC said.

“We have introduced Digital Learning Environmental Council that approves outlines of the online courses and help resolve issues with the technology and setting examinations. Actually, moving forward, we are now systematically heading towards a blended system including online courses whether Covid-19 persists or not. To meet the pace of international standards of education, and enhance access [of higher education] to masses, we will have to go online and use this (Corona) crisis as an opportunity,” he said.

exam, admission rules: The 23rd meeting of the Academic Council of Government College University was held at the university’s meeting rooms, and approved amendments to the examinations and admissions rules and existing courses of various academic programmes.

Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi chaired the meeting which was also attended by Prof Dr Rukhsana Kausar, the Vice Chancellor of Government College Women University, Sialkot, Professor Emeritus Dr Khalid Hamid Sheikh, Distinguished Professor Dr Zaheeruddin Khan, Professor Dr Rafi M Chaudhry Chair in CASP, Dr Muhammad Zakaullah Member, faculty deans and other members of the council.

The Academic Council approved the new course of “Translation of the Holy Qur’an” to be taught to all Muslim students at BA/BSc (Hons) level while non-Muslim students would be taught a subject of Ethical Teachings of World Religions.

Deliberating upon the agenda item of online teaching, the Council approved the new assessment policy for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the light of online teaching due to Covid. It approved the methods and requirements for “open-book” and “open-internet” examinations.

It granted permission to Intermediate Pre-Medical students to apply for admissions to the BS in Computer Science Program with the condition to qualify the two deficiency courses of Mathematics after admissions each comprising 3 credit hours.

The Council also approved amendments in general criteria for qualifying a semester, marks for practical examinations, attendance criteria, and summer-semester and degree requirements.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2020