New Carry-Over System Introduced By VTU- Karnataka

The VTU (Visveswaraya Technological University) has introduced a new controversial carry over system on which the High Court of Karnataka has imposed an improvised stay, giving relief to thousands of engineering students across the state.

According to the Varsity's rules, Engineering students have to clear all the subjects of the first two semesters for admission to the fifth semester. Based on the VTU rules, in order to become eligible for admissions to the fifth semester , engineering students in non-autonomus colleges have to clear all the subjects of the first two-semesters, and clear all the subjects of the fourth and fifth semester for the admission to the seventh semester.

Almost around hundred students from Bangalore-based engineering colleges approached the HC last week against the VTU's carry-over system. While issuing the order last week, which has come as a set back to VTU, Justice AS Bopanna observed that such systems would jeo-paradise students careers. He further ordered the VTU and the engineering colleges affiliated to it to admit all BE students to their respective semesters.

Various students bodies and VTU officials had locked horns ever since the university introduced the carry-over system for BE students since two years ago. According to the system, at no stage a student can have a backlog of more than four subjects from the previous year.

Students Advocate S.Arumugham argued that the fresh semesters starts in the first week of August and if the students are not permitted to move on, then they would lose their valuable time. The students should be allowed to clear the pending subjects in the supplementary exams instead of studying the same semester all over again, he said.

Calling the carry-over system as ultra-virus, the petition sought to scrap the discrimination between the autonomous and non-autonomous colleges under VTU. Arumugham told the reporters that "The HC has also directed the colleges and VTU to conduct 'Make-up examinations' and one supplementary examinations for each year so that students can clear failed subjects within the time fixed by the HC in the interest of Justice and equality".

One of the petitioners, Deepak R said that "It is not the victory of only Bangalore students, but that of the entire 19,000 students of VTU". VTU registrar Prof. SA Kori said "We have not yet received the copy of the court order. We can comment only after going through the details". In its interim order, the court issued notice to VTU while at the same time making it clear that the relief granted to the students will be subject to the final disposal of the petition.

However, at the end, the judge noted that the interim order is being granted considering that in the last two years, many such petitions have been filed where students alleged discrimination in the carry over system.

What do you feel about the New Carry-over system? Will it be helpful to Engineering students or not? What changes will it bring in engineering courses.