KU negligence
KARACHI: I am writing on behalf of final-year students of BA LLB (Hons), a five year composite degree programme initiated by Karachi University’s affiliated college Sind Muslim Law College Karachi (SMLC) in 2011. SMLC admitted its first batch under five years LLB programme in 2011 but it is in its sixth year and no student has been awarded this degree yet. KU is delaying its examinations and results are also being announced late. After exams, KU usually takes between eight and 12 months to announce the results. The last exams were held in November and December 2015 but their results were announced in December 2016.
SMLC holds its annual academic sessions from August to May but students are examined after almost eight to 10 months of their academic session. It seems there is a lack of coordination between the two institutions. The first batch of students was to be in this programme from 2011 to 2016. Their academic sessions at SMLC ended in May 2016 but they are still waiting for final exams. If the university embarks on its existing policy, it would take yet another year to announce the results. Hence, a degree that was to be awarded in 2016 is likely to be awarded in 2018.
This delay is affecting the grades of students, as well as their future careers. Above all, it is wasting their precious time. Due to gross negligence and the inability of the SMLC and KU administration, innocent students are suffering. They are under immense stress because of uncertainty created by SMLC and KU. The authorities concerned are requested to take appropriate measures to: speed up the examination process, curb the gap between SMLC’s academic sessions and KU’s examinations, and make sure that results of the final year’s students are released as early as possible so that they can start their professional careers without any delay.
Babar Mushtaq
Published in The Express Tribune, January 30th, 2017.
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