Special exam: Privilege turns misery for JU students

Jahangirnagar University gateFile photo

After failing a third-year course in his pursuit of the bachelor degree in economics at Jahangirnagar University, Salim (a pseudonym) applied to sit for a special examination in the course.

Since it was one of the core courses counting towards the degree, he cannot afford not to pass it, reports news agency UNB.

Also, he will not be able to appear in the 4th-year final examination along with his batchmates if he sits for the examination as per the conventional rules.

Salim applied to the vice-chancellor in January 2020 for a special exam, to complete his graduation with the students of his academic year.

The vice-chancellor's office told him to contact the office of the examination controller. When Salim went there, he was told that the approval file had not arrived from the VC office. Also, he was asked not to come to the examination controller's office without paying the examination fee in the bank.

But the payment too required the approval of the examination from the vice-chancellor's office.

Selim is not the first person to face this kind of harassment from the exam controller's office. 

There are allegations that Nazrul Islam, in charge of special examinations, misplaces the students' examination approval files forwarded by the supervisors and tells the students that "There is no special examination". 

"I applied for the special examination when the university office opened after the Covid-19 pandemic. A few days later, I found out that he (Nazrul Islam) lost my paper and instructed me to apply again," alleged a student.

In a separate case, a student applied in 2019 but managed to sit for the special exam in 2022. 

According to the university rules, if the students do not pass for any reason, they can apply for the special examination in order to complete their academic life on time. A fee of Tk 15,000 has to be paid for each course to sit for the special examinations.

But due to the negligence of Nazrul Islam of the examination controller office, no student is being able to participate in the examination on time.

Controller of examinations (acting) professor Salauddin said 'three working days' should be enough for issuing the approval letter from the vice-chancellor's office. Then comes the issue of arranging the exam.

He also suggested that each department should conduct its own special exam.