THE administration of the Government College University (GCU) in Lahore has been causing immense hardship to the students enrolled there, making their academic lives one big mess with rules and regulations that have nothing to do with the quality of the studies.

For instance, when students fail to clear a course, they have to seek readmission.

After readmission, such students are required to repeat not only the failed courses, but also those with grades below Bat the graduate level and below C+ at the undergraduate level. Why should students be compelled to bear the financial and academic burden of retaking the courses they have already passed? More concerning is the rule that if students fail again, they are permanently dropped from the university roll. In such cases, years of hard work, financial resources, and valuable time are wasted.

Sadly, around a hundred students every year are deprived of their degrees at the institution due to such rigid policies.It is heart-breaking to see students and their parents pleading before administrators, only to be told that nothing can be done.

No other university in Pakistan whether government or private imposes such harsh regulations. Most, in fact, follow comparatively lenient policies in line withthe relevant guidelines issued from time to time by the Higher Education Commission (HEC). The institutional administration must constitute a committee to review all such unfair rules, and bring them in line with HEC policies. Such reforms are needed to safeguard thefuture ofourstudents.

Malik Hashir Awan Lahore