THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, March 7: Students who secured admission to the first year of the four-year degree course under the National Education Policy (NEP) at the end of February in more than a dozen affiliated colleges of Nilamber Pitamber University are allegedly being kept in the dark or misinformed about their eligibility to appear in the university examinations scheduled to begin on March 9.
According to sources, the two-day admission window held in late February was opened under directives from Lok Bhavan and was primarily meant for supplementary pass-out students, rather than regular pass-outs of Plus-2 or government intermediate examinations.
UGC norms exclude February admissions from March 9 exams
The university had made it clear that students admitted during this special admission window would have their examinations conducted as per norms of the University Grants Commission, effectively excluding them from the pre-announced March 9 examination schedule.
A formal notification to this effect was issued on February 24 by the Dean of Student Welfare of the university.
Despite this, several colleges are allegedly misguiding newly admitted students and encouraging them to pressure the university administration to allow them to appear in the March 9 examinations.
Students claim they were encouraged to protest
A correspondent from The Jharkhand Story Network spoke with a few such students from one of the colleges. Speaking discreetly, the students admitted that they were aware they were not eligible for the March 9 exams, as they had not yet completed registration or filled out examination forms.
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However, they claimed that college authorities were encouraging them to stage protests and demand permission to sit for the exams.
University officials clarified that these students would take their examinations only after the ongoing March 9 exam schedule concludes, meaning a delay of only a few weeks.
Admissions across several colleges
A total of 1,473 students were admitted during the late-February admission window.
Among the colleges with the highest admissions were:
- A K Singh College Japla – 491 students
- St Tulsidas College Rehla – 287 students
- GN Singh Mahila College Garhwa – 175 students
- SSMS College Tarhassi – 185 students
Other affiliated colleges recorded smaller numbers of admissions, ranging from 5 to 23 students.
University officials noted that all affiliated colleges were aware of the UGC-based guidelines issued under the Lok Bhavan directive, yet many students were allegedly not informed about the actual examination eligibility criteria.
Supplementary admissions limited
Another narrative circulating among students suggested that the university had blocked admissions of supplementary pass-out students. However, officials said the data indicate otherwise.
Out of the 1,473 total admissions, only 81 students were supplementary pass-outs, the university said.
Vice-Chancellor’s response
Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Kumar Singh urged the newly admitted students to focus on their studies instead of getting influenced by misinformation.
He said the university is determined to conduct the March 9 examinations as scheduled to address delays in the academic calendar.
Nilamber Pitamber University may also become one of the first state universities in Jharkhand to conduct first-year examinations of the four-year NEP degree course in March itself, the VC said.
“We are serious about plugging the gaps in examinations and results. Our initiative should be taken in the right spirit,” Singh added.