Special chance is financial burden on GNDU: Registrar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 17

Amidst controversy over the special chance being given by Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) to its students, the university has issued a clarification on the nature of the chance.

Notably, for the last couple of days, there have been allegations that the state university has been charging “exorbitantly” on the name of special chance, thus harming the future of students, especially those who hail from economically-weak families.

The students, whose degrees are stuck due to failure in certain subjects, can avail the GNDU special chance to reappear and get their degrees by paying Rs 25,000.

GNDU officials say the special chance is a burden on the university. It has been re-introduced after receiving requests from students. Such a chance was earlier given in 2011 for which the fee charged was Rs 20,000.

Prof KS Kahlon, Registrar, GNDU, said, “This chance is being given to the candidates whose degrees have been deemed to be cancelled because they have not completed their degree within the stipulated period as per the system. In a normal graduation degree of three years, a period of five years has been decided for a student to clear their re-appear, however, some candidates fail to do so. It is not a normal compartment examination.”

In a press statement, the university also clarified that it was charging Rs 25,000 only because it faced financial burden due to necessary arrangements for the special chance. This is for students who have exhausted all their chances to clear their re-appears for a certain subject. The university decided to help them, Kahlon said.

“We are only doing it for students, who need this facility. All these activities of setting paper, appointing staff and other arrangements are causing huge burden on the university. If students do not want it, we will scrap it,” he added.