Introduction to South Asian studies made compulsory for getting degree at SAU

Updated on: Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Introduction to South Asian studies has been made a compulsory course for all students of the South Asian University here.

Every student will have to pass this non-credit course in order to get their degrees, said a statement issued by the varsity.

The decision was taken at the second academic council meeting of SAU to help students joining from different South Asian nations have the benefit of acquiring some basic facets pertaining to the region, the statement said.

The university here has been set up by member countries of SAARC to evolve a South Asian consciousness.

The varsity is planning to start the Ph.D. programme from the next academic year while publication of a journal on South Asia is also in the offing.

The meeting of the academic council also decided to institute 'SAU gold medal' to the student who passes out of the university with the best academic performance in his or her class.

In all there will be eight medals, one given out to a student each from the eight post graduate programmes the university currently offers.

Moreover, a 'SAU certificate of merit' will also be awarded to the student who secures the best combined sessional grade point averages in the first two semesters of all 2 year masters level programmes, the statement said.

Significantly, the meeting recommended the admission schedule to start from from the first week of January, two months ahead of what it was last time around in view of the long visa process students have to go though.

Further, understanding the unique nature of the university, the council recommended a required minimum attendance in class and satisfactory fulfilment of other academic assignments for students to be eligible to write their semester examinations.

Almost half of the students in SAU come from SAARC countries other than India.

The council meeting was chaired by president of SAU G K Chadha and attended by all members of the council including the three external experts such as Prof Ainun Nishat, who is the vice chancellor of BRAC University Dhaka; Prof Adil Najam, who is the vice chancellor of Lahore University of Management Sciences, and Prof N Jayaram from Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

Introduction to South Asian studies made compulsory for getting degree at SAU

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