Bumpy ride for seven colleges affiliated to DU

Several unresolved issues between Dhaka University (DU) and National University (NU) have marred the smooth transition of academic and other activities in seven colleges that were recently affiliated to DU from NU. The colleges were brought under DU to ensure the quality of education. The DU authorities will hold examinations, formulate new syllabus, and change the patterns of questions and the marking system.

Though the DU authorities have started conducting exams for some courses in the seven colleges, many others, including honours and degree exams, are still pending. Moreover, the formulation of new syllabus and the changes in the question patterns have not yet started.

Sources said the students to be admitted to the first-year honours courses for the 2017-18 session would get the new syllabus, but it is still not ready.

The DU authorities have already announced the date of holding the admission test for first-year honours courses. The online application will be available from October 16 to November 14, and the fee would be Tk. 400.

The social science unit exam will be held on December 1, the commerce unit on December 2, and the science unit on December 8. The admission test mark is 120 and the minimum pass mark is 48 (40%).

Sources said the first-year honours classes for new students is likely to begin in January.

On the other hand, the results of fourth-year honours students of the 2011-12 session are yet to be published due to complications between DU and NU.

Sources said the documents of around four lakh students are still being held by NU and these have to be handed over to the DU authorities.

The sources also said the newly affiliated colleges need separate rules and regulations, a separate website, academic calendar and so on. It will need a long time to implement these, though work is going on, they added.

It is also apprehended that if the pending issues are not addressed within a short time, it may create session jam and hamper academic activities.

The sources said the exam papers of the current students will be scrutinised by a single examiner in order to address the existing problems. However, two examiners will be used for the new students from the 2017-18 session to ensure the quality of education.

“It will take time to overcome the existing

transition period. But work is going on to resolve the problems,” Kabi Nazrul Government College principal IK Selim Ullah Khandar told The Independent.

“The new students will get new syllabus. Work is going on in this regard. There will not be any massive change from the existing syllabus. So, it will not take much time,” he said.

Appreciating the government’s move to affiliate the seven colleges to DU, IK Selim Ullah Khandar said: “It will ensure the quality of education. The students are being class-oriented. College teachers will also benefit from the affiliation by keeping contact with university teachers and getting modern ideas about teaching.”

NU vice-chancellor Harun Or Rashid told The Independent that he has been trying his best to resolve the crisis.

He, however, he could not say how long it would take to address the problem.

“Recently, I got a letter from the DU authorities informing me that they will send the marks of fourth-year viva and practical exams to NU to publish the results that have been pending for nearly eight months now,” the VC said.

“On Sunday, I will write to DU to ask when they will send the marks. Otherwise, if it is late, who will take the responsibility?” he added.

Asked about how long it will take to resolve all barriers, Harun Or Rashid said: “I don’t know. The matter lies with DU. But they are yet to launch a separate website for the colleges even after eight months.”

The seven colleges that were affiliated to DU this February are Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Government Titumir College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Mohila College, and Mirpur Government Bangla College.

Bumpy ride for seven colleges affiliated to DU

Several unresolved issues between Dhaka University (DU) and National University (NU) have marred the smooth transition of academic and other activities in seven colleges that were recently affiliated to DU from NU. The colleges were brought under DU to ensure the quality of education. The DU authorities will hold examinations, formulate new syllabus, and change the patterns of questions and the marking system. Though the DU authorities have started conducting exams for some courses in the seven colleges, many others, including honours and degree exams, are still pending. Moreover, the formulation of new syllabus and the changes in the question patterns have not yet started. Sources said the students to be admitted to the first-year honours courses for the 2017-18 session would get the new syllabus, but it is still not ready. The DU authorities have already announced the date of holding the admission test for first-year honours courses. The online application will be available from October 16 to November 14, and the fee would be Tk. 400. The social science unit exam will be held on December 1, the commerce unit on December 2, and the science unit on December 8. The admission test mark is 120 and the minimum pass mark is 48 (40%). Sources said the first-year honours classes for new students is likely to begin in January. On the other hand, the results of fourth-year honours students of the 2011-12 session are yet to be published due to complications between DU and NU. Sources said the documents of around four lakh students are still being held by NU and these have to be handed over to the DU authorities. The sources also said the newly affiliated colleges need separate rules and regulations, a separate website, academic calendar and so on. It will need a long time to implement these, though work is going on, they added. It is also apprehended that if the pending issues are not addressed within a short time, it may create session jam and hamper academic activities. The sources said the exam papers of the current students will be scrutinised by a single examiner in order to address the existing problems. However, two examiners will be used for the new students from the 2017-18 session to ensure the quality of education. It will take time to overcome the existing transition period. But work is going on to resolve the problems, Kabi Nazrul Government College principal IK Selim Ullah Khandar told The Independent. The new students will get new syllabus. Work is going on in this regard. There will not be any massive change from the existing syllabus. So, it will not take much time, he said. Appreciating the governments move to affiliate the seven colleges to DU, IK Selim Ullah Khandar said: It will ensure the quality of education. The students are being class-oriented. College teachers will also benefit from the affiliation by keeping contact with university teachers and getting modern ideas about teaching. NU vice-chancellor Harun Or Rashid told The Independent that he has been trying his best to resolve the crisis. He, however, he could not say how long it would take to address the problem. Recently, I got a letter from the DU authorities informing me that they will send the marks of fourth-year viva and practical exams to NU to publish the results that have been pending for nearly eight months now, the VC said. On Sunday, I will write to DU to ask when they will send the marks. Otherwise, if it is late, who will take the responsibility? he added. Asked about how long it will take to resolve all barriers, Harun Or Rashid said: I dont know. The matter lies with DU. But they are yet to launch a separate website for the colleges even after eight months. The seven colleges that were affiliated to DU this February are Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Government Titumir College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Mohila College, and Mirpur Government Bangla College.