Evening is not the only commercial course Dhaka University offers

Evening courses in Dhaka University that began one and a half decades ago ignoring the objection from students is not the only programme the university offers.

Thousands of students are enrolled in the courses, and most of them are professionals.

The University Grants Commission or UGC has recently ordered an end to running such evening courses in public universities after President Abdul Hamid expressed his displeasure over the issue.

Jagannath University has stopped enrolling new students in evening courses run by its different departments following the UGC instruction. But the Dhaka University is tight-lipped on the issue.

The first evening course was introduced in the Faculty of Business Studies in Dhaka University in 2002. Evening courses were run in four departments of the faculty at that time which have multiplied into 42 departments and institutes. At present, a whopping 80 courses in the name of evening masters, diploma course, professional course, specialised masters, executive masters are being run in the university outside the regular academic courses.

The teachers remain busy with the evening courses and have no time for the regular students, the students complain.

Hamid highlighted the issue as he spoke at the 52nd Convocation of the university on Dec 9.

Some of the teachers are not interested in teaching the regular courses, he said.

"They are far more serious about teaching diploma courses and in the private universities as they get immediate benefits by doing so."

“Many public universities remain a public one during the day and assume a ‘private university role’ in the evening. This is not acceptable.”

Following the president’s statement, the UGC issued 13 directives that included closure of evening courses in public universities, measures to ensure the vice chancellors perform their duties properly, seeking UGC’s approval before introducing a new department and post, and adhering to the university law for appointment and promotion.

“The evening courses must stop as they tarnish the image of a public university,” said a letter from UGC to all public universities.

Student organisations and their representatives became vocal again following the president’s remarks and the UGC’s directives on the issue of evening courses.

“All student organisations had promised to scrap the evening courses during the DUCSU election. Not the student of Dhaka University only, but those of other public universities also demanded the night courses to be ceased,” Dhaka University Central Students’ Union VP Nurul Haque Nur told bdnews24.com.

“Many of the teachers will oppose the decision as they gain financially from the courses. The students may opt to protest for an end to the evening courses in case the administration fails to make the decision,” he said.

An unanimous decision was taken at the DUCSU meeting to stop the evening courses, said DUCSU Assistant General Secretary Saddam Hossain.

“The students will not accept it if the university administration drags the process in the name of administrative complexities or want to defy the UGC order in the name of autonomy,” he told bdnews24.com.

“In that case, the students will protest and compel them to take the decision to stop the evening courses.”

No commercial course can be taught in the university, said Saddam. There could be some training courses to enhance the skills of the students if they feel the need, he added.

“The educationists should draw a policy which must not be a commercial one.”

“We have taken some measures in relation to the evening courses, professional courses, executive courses following the president’s directives given in November-December, 2018,” DU Vice Chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman told bdnews24.com.

The authorities formed a panel of the deans from five faculties and headed by Science Faculty Dean Tofail Ahmad Chowdhury to review the courses in May, said the VC.

“We hope to receive the recommendation from the panel enabling us to take effective decisions,” he said.

“We are yet to reach a conclusion to draw recommendations for the evening courses. We hope to submit the recommendation to the VC in a month,” Prof Tofail told bdnews24.com.