Now IUST fixes Rs 2500 per paper fee for special exam, draws flak
Will look into the issue: Registrar IUST
Srinagar: A day after the University of Kashmir (KU) reversed its decision of charging Rs 2600 as examination fee per paper, Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) Awantipora has fixed Rs 2500 per paper as examination fee for special examination, drawing criticism.
The notification issued by the Dean Academic Affairs IUST reads that the Vice Chancellor IUST has approved the recommendations of the deans of all schools to conduct the special examination for the students of outgoing batches whose degree was getting delayed due to the shortage of attendance or any other pending formality.
However, the IUST administration has set certain conditions for holding the special examination of the students. As per the notification, the students desirous of appearing in the special exam would have to pay a “special fee” of Rs 2500 per paper for appearing in the special examination.
“Only such candidates who had 50 percent or more attendance in the papers in which they were not allowed to appear earlier will be eligible," the notice reads.
It reads that the heads and the coordinators of the varsity would conduct compensatory classes and students would be allowed to appear in the special examination after completing all required formalities including minimum requirement of attendance.
“The students who have backlogs on account of failing in the papers or not having appeared in the midterm or having failed in the midterm examination will also be eligible for special examination on similar conditions," the IUST notification reads.
The varsity has directed all the departments and centres to ensure that all the formalities including conduct of midterm examination wherever necessary are completed before the students are declared eligible for special examination.
However, the students slammed the varsity authorities and accused the varsity administration of “loot and extortion in the name of a special examination."
“The fee of Rs 2500 per paper is loot. Most students can’t afford the fee to appear in the special examination," said Khalid, a student of IUST. “Some students have to appear in two or three papers. How will they manage such a huge fee and appear in the special exam?"
The aggrieved students sought personal intervention of the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to look into the issue of “extortion” by IUST authorities in the name of the “special examination”.
As already reported by Greater Kashmir, the KU authorities had fixed Rs 2600 per paper as fee for the candidates who wanted to appear in the mercy chance or division improvement exams.
However, the varsity administration revised the decision following the resentment from the students and reduced the fees for the candidates.
Meanwhile, in a separate notification, the Deputy Registrar Examination IUST has notified the students interested in appearing in the special examination to report to the concerned departments for further necessary action by December 14, 2022.
As per the notification, the students of the previous batches having any backlog paper, exit batches of polytechnic students, and students of exit batches who have appeared in supplementary examinations and failed, have been asked to report to their concerned departments. "These students may also report to their respective departments for conduct of special examination as a special case, if otherwise eligible in terms of the reference notice and falling within the maximum duration of completion of degrees," the notice reads.
All the heads and in-charge departments have been asked to scrutinize all applications and submit the list of eligible students and proposed date sheets to the office of the Deputy Registrar Examination for release of examination forms.
Registrar IUST, Prof Naseer Iqbal told Greater Kashmir that the matter would be looked into.
"I am out of station but I will check it once I return. The issue will be taken care of in the larger interests of the students," he said.
