Discrimination?: Uncertainty shrouds future of private students at Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan
Officials accused of inefficiency and unfair treatment regarding BA exams slips.
Officials accused of inefficiency and unfair treatment regarding BA exams slips. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR/MARDAN:
Thousands of private students hailing from over a dozen districts do not know if they will be able to take their bachelors exams scheduled for Friday (today) through Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan.
Students claimed the concerned officials were treating private students unfairly by giving them the runaround regarding their enrollment slips. Many of them waited at the examination controller’s office at the main campus on Nowshera-Mardan Road the entire day on Thursday, but to no avail.
“I came at 9am and we were told to submit another form and deposit money again. It is unfair to do this to thousands of students at the eleventh hour, especially by a university which claims to be internationally acclaimed,” said Sayed Ali Raza, a BA student from Forward College Nowshera which is an affiliate of Abdul Wali Khan University.
Raza submitted his enrollment forms three months ago, claiming the university has yet to issue him a slip that will permit him to take the exam.
Complaints have been coming in for two weeks now, students said.
Muhammad Zeeshan, a BA student of Government Post Graduate College, Swabi, said he sent his form two months ago he had been standing in the long queue for hours, braving the heat.
At least 50% of students have not received their roll numbers from districts like Nowshera, Swabi, Charsadda, Malakand and Swat, among others, he claimed.
“It’s now 12pm and we were told to come after 3pm to collect the slips but the official closing time of the university is 4pm,” he added.
Another student from Shergarh, Mardan, Muhammad Shah said that private students arrived early in the morning on Thursday, and were visibly discriminated against compared to regular students. “They got their slips long ago and the private ones were running from pillar to post,” he said, many of them are fearful that they will miss their annual exams.
Imad Khan, a student from Takht Bhai, Mardan, said a group of students protested earlier over the inefficiency of officials at the university, holding the institution responsible for the chaos over the past 15 days.
“No one is ready to talk to us to clarify their position and many students are clueless as to whether they should appear for the paper or not,” he added.
While Controller Examination Dr Saeed Islam, could not be reached for comment, his deputy Adil Khan rejected the accusations. He claimed the university published an advertisement in various newspapers informing private students to collect their slips from the controller’s office 15 days ago. “The office will remain open till 9pm on Thursday,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2014.
Thousands of private students hailing from over a dozen districts do not know if they will be able to take their bachelors exams scheduled for Friday (today) through Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan.
Students claimed the concerned officials were treating private students unfairly by giving them the runaround regarding their enrollment slips. Many of them waited at the examination controller’s office at the main campus on Nowshera-Mardan Road the entire day on Thursday, but to no avail.
“I came at 9am and we were told to submit another form and deposit money again. It is unfair to do this to thousands of students at the eleventh hour, especially by a university which claims to be internationally acclaimed,” said Sayed Ali Raza, a BA student from Forward College Nowshera which is an affiliate of Abdul Wali Khan University.
Raza submitted his enrollment forms three months ago, claiming the university has yet to issue him a slip that will permit him to take the exam.
Complaints have been coming in for two weeks now, students said.
Muhammad Zeeshan, a BA student of Government Post Graduate College, Swabi, said he sent his form two months ago he had been standing in the long queue for hours, braving the heat.
At least 50% of students have not received their roll numbers from districts like Nowshera, Swabi, Charsadda, Malakand and Swat, among others, he claimed.
“It’s now 12pm and we were told to come after 3pm to collect the slips but the official closing time of the university is 4pm,” he added.
Another student from Shergarh, Mardan, Muhammad Shah said that private students arrived early in the morning on Thursday, and were visibly discriminated against compared to regular students. “They got their slips long ago and the private ones were running from pillar to post,” he said, many of them are fearful that they will miss their annual exams.
Imad Khan, a student from Takht Bhai, Mardan, said a group of students protested earlier over the inefficiency of officials at the university, holding the institution responsible for the chaos over the past 15 days.
“No one is ready to talk to us to clarify their position and many students are clueless as to whether they should appear for the paper or not,” he added.
While Controller Examination Dr Saeed Islam, could not be reached for comment, his deputy Adil Khan rejected the accusations. He claimed the university published an advertisement in various newspapers informing private students to collect their slips from the controller’s office 15 days ago. “The office will remain open till 9pm on Thursday,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2014.