Mumbai Univ to offer programme for school dropouts

StudyPlaces News Desk

Mumbai University is soon going to bring some solace by starting Bachelor's Preparatory Programme (BPP) for school dropouts and those who do not have essential qualification of 10+2 to gain admission into graduate programme. In the absence of such a qualifying certificate such students are deprived of higher education. To enable them to enter higher education stream BPP is designed.

Uptill now, other universities that offer pre-bachelor programmes are Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) Women's University, Indira Gandhi National University (IGNOU) and Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University.

Currently, standard X and XII marks are mandatory to gain admission to the Institute of Distance Education (IDE) of Mumbai University undergraduate courses. 1,000 students are likely to enrol for this programme scheduled to start from June 2009.

Under the proposed BPP, which will act as a bridge course, students will be required to take a qualifying examination. Once they clear this examination, they will be directly admitted to undergraduate courses in arts and commerce in IDE.

Students will be given study material. There will be no contact lectures. The qualifying examination to each of these faculties will have two papers in the relevant subjects. Anyone who has completed 18 years of age is eligible for the BPP. The fee for the programme will be Rs 500.

The programme will be a boon for those who couldn't complete their education or were denied formal schooling. The programme is targeted at school and college dropouts, who desire to complete their graduation. Seniors citizens and blue collared workers without an academic record can also opt for the programme.