Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Aug 30
Students enrolled in the BSc Economics programme at the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) have objected to a change in the nomenclature of their degree to BA Economics after they had completed four semesters.
The fifth-semester students said the university changed the programme designation without prior formal notice or consultation, leaving them concerned about their academic and career prospects.
The students said that they had been admitted to BSc Economics and had completed nearly two years under that designation.
“This is not a minor technicality, but it changes the degree we will graduate with,” one student said, according to the report.
The students said they had approached the Dean Academics but were dissatisfied with the response.
They also said they were paying Rs 15,000 per semester for the programme, compared with Rs 4000-Rs 6000 charged for BA programmes at other colleges.
They said they had paid the higher fee on the understanding that they were pursuing a BSc degree.
According to the students, their original fee receipts explicitly described the payment as being for “BSc Economics”. They alleged that some receipts had subsequently been altered to show BA Economics.
The students said many of them travelled long distances to attend IUST and had chosen the programme because it had been advertised and offered as a BSc course.
They said they had completed internships and planned their further studies around the qualification and were now uncertain about their eligibility and future opportunities.
The students said the revised nomenclature was first reflected in a WhatsApp group and later appeared on a date sheet, which they said was inadequate given the potential academic implications.
IUST Dean Academic Affairs Prof Sheikh Aijaz Bashir said the matter would be resolved within a couple of days.
“The matter will be resolved within a couple of days. I have told the students,” he said.
