One lakh students face uncertainty
NU, DU Tussle over documents
DEEPAK ACHARJEE
The education life of more than one lakh students hangs in the balance due to a tussle between the National University (NU) and the Dhaka University (DU) over handing over of exam related documents.
The DU authorities said they are unable to hold viva voce and complete registration process for a total of 1,67,236 students as necessary exam related documents of these students were not provided by the National University . All these students have enrolled in honours and masters courses in seven colleges that became affiliated to the Dhaka University.
However, the NU authorities claim that all necessary documents have already been sent to the DU in digital format on a CD.
Facing this uncertain situation, the students are now planning to wage a movement, said sources.
After giving affiliation to seven colleges on February 16, the controller of examination of Dhaka University, Md Bahalul Haque Chowdhury, sent a letter to the NU registrar on April 4, seeking all required documents.
Sources at the DU said the National University authorities are yet to provide documents, such as tabulation sheets of written exams of the students, to the DU. As a result, the DU authorities have not been able to start the process of registration and viva voce of the students of the seven colleges, the sources added.
When approached by The Independent, NU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Harun-or-Rashid said, however, that they had sent all documents of the students of seven colleges in digital format on a CD (soft copy) to the DU authorities two weeks ago.
It is unfortunate if the DU authorities have said that we are not cooperating with them, he added.
When asked if it is necessary to provide hard copies for taking viva voce and processing, the NU vice-chancellor said, Hard copy is not necessary. We have provided them all the documents as soft copies (in digital format) and the DU authorities can take printouts of the documents if they need hard copies.
When contacted, the DUs controller of examination, Md Bahalul Haque Chowdhury, told this correspondent that they received some soft copy of documents from the NU
authorities. These were not enough to complete the process of holding viva voce and registration of students of the seven colleges, he said.
We need hard copies like tabulation sheets of written exams and other required documents from the National University, but they (NU authorities) are yet to provide these to us. After receiving documents in part, we started the viva voce of students of Government Bangla College last week. We have taken steps for registration of students of the other six colleges, and then we will start the process of holding viva voce, he added. After receiving instructions from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the authorities concerned had decided to affiliate seven government colleges with the Dhaka University for improving the quality of education in those institutions.
The seven colleges are Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, the Government Shaheed Suhrawardi College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Womens College, Mirpur Government Bangla College and the Government Titumir College.
After they were affiliated with the DU, all academic activities, including the admission process, holding exams and preparing the academic syllabuses of these colleges are now being carried out by the Dhaka University.
