At least 12000 graduate students have been left in a quandary as the University of Kashmir and private B.Ed colleges remain at loggerheads about the fee structure the colleges say amounts to fleecing the students.
The private college owners and KU administration disagree over charging of registration fee from students for the 2nd year (3rd and 4th semester).
The issue was raised in January following which the college authorities didn’t pay the 3rd and 4th semester fee charged of their students towards the varsity.
“Amid the tussle, the issue landed in judiciary following which the KU got directions from court to at least conduct the 3rd and 4th semester exams,” said an official at the examination department of KU.
He said the varsity wont declare the results unless they receive directions from the court to do so.
“We have finished the evaluation and other formalities to declare the results of 3rd and 4th semester exams. But we won’t declare the results unless college authorities pay the fee of 3rd and 4th semester,” the official said.
“Those colleges who will submit the fee can get the results of their students, otherwise it will remain withheld till we receive some directions from the court.”
The two-year regular mode B.Ed course commenced in 2015, however the students are still waiting for their 3rd and 4th semester (2nd year) results for past three months.
The exams culminated on May 26, but the results have not been declared till date.
“We are sandwiched in the tussle of college authorities and Kashmir University,” said a student from a visibly agitated and worried group awaiting their results.
“We have paid the fee to our concerned college authorities but they didn’t submit it to varsity which made mess of this exam,” he said, as others nodded in desperate agreement.
In January, principals of the B.Ed colleges were asked to forward the 3rd and 4th examination fee of Rs 1300 for each student per semester along with payment for University development fund.
A group of agitated B.Ed students who started off in 2015 said the KU authorities have notified that payment of Rs 4225 per student who has qualified their 1st and 2nd semester exams has to be made.
According to the KU notification issued in January, the students were asked to submit an amount of Rs 3100 as university development fund, Rs 750 as corpus fund, Rs 100 as IT&SS fund and Rs 125 as sports development fund.
However, the students had opposed the KU decision saying that it was “open fleecing” by the varsity administration.
Meanwhile, a principal in one of the B.Ed colleges said the KU administration was overcharging students due to which they didn’t submit the fee to the varsity.
“There is a huge difference of around Rs 5000 in fee structure fixed by Kashmir University as compared to Jammu University. Besides, KU authorities are charging second time registration fee worth Rs 4000 which is simply fleecing,” the Principal said.
Meanwhile, controller examination M Y Bhat said the results for these students cannot be declared unless the university receives directions from the court.
“Since the matter is sub-judice, we can’t take any decision out of our own,” Bhat said.
Asked whether KU was pursuing the case in court, he said the matter pertains to administration.
“The legal cell of the University deals with such issues.”