In a stark contrast to the progress made by universities like Kashmir University and Islamia College Srinagar, students at Cluster University Srinagar are expressing growing concerns over the sluggish pace of their academic calendar.
While some institutions are already in their 6th semester, Cluster University Jammu has even released the datesheet for the 5th semester, the CUS is yet to take internal examination of 5th semester students.
A student said, “Right now I’m in 5th semester. My academic session started in March 2021 and it was supposed to be completed in March 2024.”
“But now given the situation my degree will be completed in October 2024 and even I fear will it be complete by October or not,” she said.
Students indicate that the 6th semester might stretch until September, sparking a collective call for action. Despite efforts to engage with the university, the response has been slow, the students alleged.
Recently, Cluster University Srinagar issued a notice for examination form submissions, but students argue that it falls short of addressing their concerns. “Internal assessments are projected to begin after the winter vacation around February 14, extending through February,” said another student.
He added that the external examinations are expected to follow suit in March, concluding the 5th-semester examination by the end of March.
This extended timeline poses a significant challenge, potentially delaying the completion of the 6th semester until September. This has raised alarms among students, as the originally slated degree completion timeline of June 2024 now faces a potential extension to September-October.
While students at other universities are set to graduate by April-May, the delay at Cluster University Srinagar raises questions about eligibility for post-graduation admissions in renowned universities such as JMI, JNU, AMU, etc.
A collective demand has emerged from students, urging Cluster University Srinagar to expedite the 6th semester completion by June-July 2024. The concerns are not merely about academic timelines but extend to future opportunities and career prospects.
On 30th December 2023, the CUS issued a notification which reads as “It is notified for information of all the students of below mentioned programmes that the link for submission of online examination forms shall remain open from 01-01-2024 to 08-01-2024.
It’s important to mention here that this time students are eligible for submitting their online examination forms without appearing in their internal Examinations.
Sources said that the internal Examinations for these Examinations shall be conducted immediately after vacations.