Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur, will admit students to its postgraduate courses on the basis of an online viva voce as it does not want to screen candidates solely on the basis of marks.
A notice — issued on a day Calcutta University declared that close to 100 per cent candidates have passed in BA, BSc and BCom exams — states that Vidyamandira will admit students to all its masters courses in science and humanities through online viva voce after shortlisting candidates on the basis of marks.
In mathematics, a preliminary list for viva voce will be prepared based on a composite score of 70, which will include components like the aspirant’s marks in the subject in Madhyamik (or equivalent) and HS (or equivalent), and the honours scores.
The composite score will also assess whether an aspirant has attended workshops/schools organised by IIT, IISc, TIFR or any other institute of national repute.
In addition, 5 marks each will be allotted for getting the NBHM/DST (National Board of Higher Mathematics/department of science and technology)funded scholarship and “attending NBHM/DSTfunded workshops or attending workshops/schools organised by IIT….”
Candidates screened on the basis composite score will then appear for the online viva voce carrying 30 marks, on September 28 and 29.
Swami Ekachittnanda, the principal of the college, said: “Mathematics draws a large number of ‘applicants. So expanding the components of the composite score was required to shortlist them.”
The college started the practice of giving additional weightage to participants in math Olympiads and national talent search examinations for admission to undergraduate mathematics and physics courses from last year in absence of admission tests.
“Now this is being followed at the level of admission to MSC in mathematics,” said an official of the college.
In the rest of the subjects, the final selection will be done solely on the basis of the viva voce.
The details of the admission procedure will be available on the college website.
The college, till 2019, used to select students based on their entrance test scores and graduation marks. Since the inperson admission tests cannot be held because of the pandemic, the college has switched to viva voce.
Filling in of online application forms will start on September 5 and continue till September 24.
In view of the financial hardship faced by the guardians because of the Covid19 pandemic, the applicants won’t be charged any fee to fill in the online application forms.
Online classes will start on October 4.
Although the state government has barred the state-aided colleges and universities from conducting any admission test for undergraduate and postgraduate courses, autonomous institutions like Vidyamandira and St Xavier’s College don’t come under the purview of the restriction.