Students belonging to the 2019 batch of the three-year Master of Computer Application (MCA) course in the University of Calicut are concerned about the delay in completion of their course.
The results of their fourth semester exams are yet to be out. Dates for fifth semester exams have not been decided and they have no idea about the academic project to be completed in the sixth semester.
The university runs 12 Centres for Computer Science and Information Technology in various districts that offer the three-year MCA course, a postgraduate programme in Computer Science, and an undergraduate programme in Information Technology. There are at least 30 students in each MCA batch. The 2019 batch is the last one to have a three-year course, with the University Grants Commission reducing its duration to two years from 2020.
‘Affect job prospects’
K. Abin, member of a student collective, said on Wednesday that the admissions to the 2019 batch were conducted in July that year. The students were supposed to complete the course this month. However, owing to a technical problem, the month of admissions was wrongly entered as December in the university documents. “The course will be completed only months after similar programmes in other universities. This will affect the job prospects of the students,” he said.
According to sources, the students had held talks with the university authorities late last year to discuss the delay in conducting exams, among other issues. The authorities reportedly promised that the course would be completed by August. But they are yet to keep their word.
“In the meantime, all the semester exams for the 2020 batch have been completed. Now, these students will graduate around the same time as the 2019 batch,” Mr. Abin pointed out.
The students said that though each of them pay over ₹20,000 as semester fee, they are not given proper facilities. None of these centres have permanent teachers. Most of the buildings are not in proper shape. There are no well-equipped computer labs. They are still being taught outdated syllabus, which does not prepare them with fast-changing technological advancements.
