Engineering students protest eight-year pass policy

Updated on: Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Around 150 engineering students protested outside the Fort campus of Mumbai University, asking officials to shed light on the implementation of the eight-year policy.

Students of several engineering colleges claimed that the university has issued so many circulars on the year of implementation of the policy that they are extremely confused. While one states that the policy is applicable from the 2003-04 batch, another says it is applicable only from the 2004-05 batch. “The university has released a circular on the policy in September 2002 making it mandatory for all students to clear their BE degree within eight years of enrollment. However, in 2009, it released a circular explaining the policy and also stated that it will be applicable from academic year 2004-05 and onwards. Now the university is not allowing us to appear for the exam,” said a student.

Many colleges, who were ignorant about the rule, admitted students who have already completed eight years. “Some colleges even allowed students to write the third-year exams which are conducted internally. However, in the final year, when the forms were to be sent to the university, they rejected our applications. Colleges have been asked to stop issuing hall tickets to students who have completed eight years,” said another student. The Azad Maidan police took details from students and let them off. A delegation of students also met the vice-chancellor Rajan Welukar on Monday.

While MU claimed that not more than 300 students would have been affected, students claim that the numbers might go up to 1,000. “The university is also collecting data from colleges to find the numbers of students who have completed eight years in BE. There is only one circular which was released in 2002 and was amended later in 2004. However, the eight-year policy still remained. The university took a decision in an academic council meeting in April-May this year to not give any additional attempts to such students. Students keep asking for extra attempts even when they have exhausted them,” said dean of technology, S K Ukrande.

A student said that the university will be taking a decision by December 8.

Engineering students protest eight-year pass policy

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