In a troubling development, students enrolled in Senior Colleges affiliated with Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) before the 2016-2017 academic year are facing the possibility of being unable to appear for their examinations due to the impending expiration of their Permanent Registration Number (PRN).
A series of conflicting university circulars have left students in a state of uncertainty regarding their academic futures. The confusion began when a university circular, issued on September 23, 2023, introduced a new “Method of calculation of completion of the semester” for students admitted before the 2016-17 academic year. This directive appeared to grant students an additional six years to complete their courses, extending the timeframe to meet academic requirements.
For instance, a typical three-year course would now allow students a total of nine years for completion, while a four-year course would provide a 10-year window.
However, a previous circular, dated September 17, 2019, stated that from the academic year 2016-17, students newly admitted were required to finish their courses within the course year plus an additional two years. Failure to do so, according to the guidelines set forth by the University Grants Commission (UGC), would entail re-admission to the year where difficulties were encountered, followed by completing the remaining course within the subsequent two years.
The conflicting information has left students bewildered and distressed. A student pursuing a BA LLB course shared, “I enrolled in 2013 and was initially informed that I had an 11-year window to complete my course, which would expire next year. However, on September 17, I received a call from my college about the PRN expiration and a request to contact the university for clarification. The university’s response was to re-enroll for the course, which would be a significant setback to my career and that of the 6,000 students.”
Another student said, “All of us were admitted before 2017. SPPU has now informed us that they are strictly adhering to UGC guidelines and cannot permit pre-2017 admittees to take exams. The university had even accepted our exam fees and filled out our exam forms, yet they abruptly blocked our PRNs without any prior notification to the students or colleges. We have faced personal hardships during our course duration, including the loss of parents, accidents, and health issues, which disrupted our academic journey. Starting anew would be a tremendous financial burden we cannot bear. Additionally, the university’s actions cannot compensate for the years and money we have invested in our education.”
In response to the crisis, Mahesh Kakade, the Director of the Board of Examinations and Evaluation at SPPU, stated, “I assumed my role here in 2020, so I can’t address the circular that mentioned a six-year extension. We are obligated to strictly adhere to the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, which provide for a two-year extension to complete the course. We communicated these guidelines to colleges, placing the responsibility on them to inform their respective students about PRN expiration. We have requested an additional one-year extension from the UGC, which is only granted under ‘clearly stated- exceptional circumstances and merit.’ It necessitates a comprehensive examination of each case, and we are currently awaiting a response from the UGC. These students are our responsibility, and we are not abandoning them. I implore the students to be patient.”
