A post-graduation science course, Application Specific Integrated Circuit Design, introduced by Mangalore University in its campus from the current academic year has not been received well by students. Only four students have applied for the course. There are 31 seats including 15 merit category seats.
The university has extended the last date to apply for the course till August 5. The course deals with developing application-oriented advanced electronic circuit. Its focus would be on developing an integrated circuit customised for a specific use and not for general purpose. A student who has studied either Physics or Electronics as one of the optional subjects at the under-graduation (B.Sc.) level can apply for the course.
Sources in the university said that the Department of Electronics would not be able to offer the course unless a minimum of five students opted for it.
Unless there were 10 students, the university might not offer the course in the current academic year as it would not be feasible to teach the subject to five students.
Earlier, the university offered this through R V College of Engineering, Bangalore as a correspondence course under an agreement between the college and the university for five years from 2008-09. The last batch passed out in 2013-14.
The students who passed out got M.Sc. in ASIC Design degree. The university did not renew the agreement with the college later.
Sources said that there are probably not many takers for the course as the university did not give enough publicity.
Though the university introduced the course in the campus, its regulations, as it would be offered under choice based credit system, were yet to be approved by the academic council and the government. The regulations would be tabled in the academic council’s meeting on Monday and later it would be sent to the government for approval.
P.S. Yadapadithaya, registrar (administration) told The Hindu that it was enough if the government approved it before the first semester examinations.