KU PG students demand mass promotion as per UGC guidelines | KNO

Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

Srinagar, May 19 (KNO): The students of different branches of Kashmir University including those enrolled at SSM College alleged that varsity is adamant in not following the UGC guidelines to promote them on internal assessment basis. Talking to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) the aggrieved students complained that they have already suffered a lot due to last years unprecedented situation and no access to internet for several months. They said that universities and NITs in other states have already started following UGC guidelines and even they have awarded high grades but the students here are left in lurch. Kashmir University recently decided to hold the internal assessment test online and set June 15 deadline for completing the syllabus of undergraduate and post-graduate students. “Class representatives of different departments of the varsity have written a letter to authorities of University demanding their mass promotion on internal assessment as per UGC guidelines,” they said. The letter reads, "The students of batch 2018 and 2019 should be promoted to next semesters officially with immediate effect as students are not able to focus on next semesters. The students do not demand mass promotion but evaluation as per UGC protocol that are based on internal assessment and previous record only.” The students stated that option of internal assessment for PG exams of 1st and 2nd semester batch 2019 and 2018 including M.Tech (SSM College) should be utilised as they have suffered the most due to the lockdown post August 5 last year. “The time is important as HRD has approved admissions to online courses in universities and those pass outs can easily avail opportunities and can apply already for jobs as well.” They said that the university should not compare both the academic and mental condition of their students with other students of the country as they have already lost 10 months since August 5 last year while students in other parts of the country have lost only three months of academic session due to COVID-19 lockdown. The students have appealed that the internal assessment as per UGC is only acceptable for promotion to next semester and requested University authorities for early decision so that they can focus on online classes which are going on—(KNO)