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Lack of PU regional office sorely felt
ISLAMABAD, Nov 08, 2007: It is truly beyond
ones comprehension why the Punjab University (PU) has chosen not to open a
regional office in Islamabad, a city from where thousands of students appear in
its various examinations every year.
Educational institutions in the
capital are by and large affiliated with the PU for graduate and postgraduate
courses. Moreover, the students of these institutions appear for the PU exams as
regular students. Nevertheless, there are thousands of students who are unable
to enroll themselves in schools and colleges for regular studies for one reason
or the other and choose to appear in the university's exams as private
candidates. The former are certainly a fortunate lot compared with the latter at
least on one count, their institutions provide them with all the information
regarding their courses and ensure their appearance in respective
examinations.
Private students have to do the tough job themselves and
things are that much tougher for them in the absence of any information centre
or regional office of the PU in Islamabad. Moreover, the so-called information
office in the Rawalpindi commercial market offers little in the way of valid and
relevant information.
The university has placed examination and fee
payment forms at certain banks of the twin city and on its official website for
private students but problems still ensue. In case there is a problem with the
forms, students have to visit the PU head office miles away in Lahore to ensure
their registration for the desired examination by furnishing the requisite
information.
At times, it becomes almost impossible for many to leave the
city due to job constraints. This group of students tend to postpone their plans
to appear in their chosen examinations for at least one year.
The huge
difference between the number of private student forms sold by the university
for certain examinations especially for the BA/BSc examinations and that of
students appearing in the same attests to this problem.
Gulabdin Khan, a
technician at a local firm, belongs to this unfortunate group. He had to quit
his studies at an early age due to financial constraints. However, he managed to
take his matriculation and intermediate examinations privately. Recently, he
dispatched the form for the BA exam to the Punjab University but it was rejected
as incomplete. He said, "Now, I am supposed to go to the university headquarters
to submit the form but doing so is not manageable for me due to the tight
schedule at office."
He added that no one from his family or from among
friends was able to help at this time when the last date to submit the form
without paying a fine was about to expire. "It looks like my plan of sitting for
the BA examination will not be realised at this time," he said in a gloomy
voice.
The lack of access to information about PU courses and
examinations is even more disturbing for women. "I was stopped from going to
college after FA because my parents believe that girls should take more interest
in household work than studies as this is what matters the most in life after
marriage," said Samina, whose father is a prayer leader in a mosque.
The
girl, 21, managed to convince her parents to let her take the BA exams form the
PU privately but gathering information turned out to be a difficult task for
her. She said, "There's no information cell of the university in Islamabad and
private students have to seek the requisite information from their own
channels."
Compared with men, things are difficult for women who have to
rely on their family or friends to do the legwork. Where kith and kin are
reluctant to help, as is the case with Samina, their negative attitude can
deprive women of a chance to appear in an examination.
She believed that
the opening of a useful regional office in the twin cities or making
arrangements for the submission of forms and provision of information at local
institutions would make the Punjab University accessible for potential private
students. Daily Times
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Education News| Updated: 09 Jan, 2009 |
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