If one goes straight from Ram Nagar square towards Pandharabodi lake (the lake exists no more now), one reaches the gate of Nelson Mandela Hostel run by Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU). The hostel wears a deserted look now. Since the year 2016, no student from any foreign country has taken admission to any course being run either by any college affiliated to RTMNU or by any department of the university. There was a time, before marksheet scam, that came to the fore in 1999, when Nelson Mandela Hostel had all its 50 rooms filled with foreign students. Mostly students from Thailand, Palestine, Africa, used to take admissions.

 

The number started dwindling after bogus marksheet scam from the year 2000 onwards. From 2016, the hostel became vacant as not a single foreign student has taken admission to this university. One official, on condition of anonymity, told ‘The Hitavada’, the bogus marksheet scam pushed university on backfoot as it earned a bad name. This had a larger impact as the students from other countries turned their back. What the official said is true. At the same time, university too has not made any efforts to promote its good things to attract the students from other countries. University has tried to resolve the issue to fill the rooms in Nelson Mandela hostel during the tenure of Dr S P Kane as Vice Chancellor. “As students from other countries stopped taking admissions, the hostel became empty, we opened it for the research scholars. There are several students who conduct various research activities. As they stay outside, they find it difficult to and fro university and their town. University offered the place at the hostel to such students. It was at initial level. I am not aware what happened to it after the end of my tenure,” said Dr Kane. Even that opening to the research scholars too was not promoted aggressively. Had it been done, it would have earned a good revenue for the university. Dr Sham Koreti, in-charge of the hostel said, “At present, there are two research scholars staying in the hostel. We are trying to reach interested students to invite them for their stay in the hostel.”

 

Will invite foreign students: V-C Dr Subhash Chaudhary, Vice Chancellor of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) told ‘The Hitavada’, “It was university that had stopped admissions of foreign university except for the Department of Pali Prakrut and Buddhist Studies. Secondly, foreign students in large number used to do PhD from our university. Since the norms of PhD changed, the foreign students stopped approaching our university. Now we have decided to make certain changes in the norms like providing the option of on-line to the students. Our all Research Recognition Committee meetings will be taken soon and then, we will invite foreign students. It will start the inflow of students to our university. We are preparing policies for the promotion of our university in other countries to attract the students.”