Hundreds lose jobs, PG seats as AKTU delays COP results by 9 months

NEW DELHI: Satyendra Singh lost his job as a medical representative as he could not produce his BPharma marksheet. He completed BPharma from a Lucknow-based private college affiliated to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU), Lucknow in 2022.

Singh could not clear one out of four papers in the sixth semester – third year – of his course. In order to clear the same paper, he had to qualify the carry over papers (COP) conducted by AKTU in December, 2022, and January, 2023. Nine months later, AKTU is yet to declare the results.

As they waited for the AKTU results, hundreds of students from across professional and technical programmes – pharmacy, engineering, management and more – have had to put their future academic plans and careers on hold. Many like Singh, lost jobs or are unable to apply because they don’t have marksheets.

“I got a job as a medical representative to promote and sell medical products to different healthcare facilities in April this year. However, the company asked me to produce my AKTU results. I lost the job as I am still awaiting my results. My career is destroyed and my relatives think I am a loser,” said Singh.

The Uttar Pradesh government-run state university holds the COP exams after the results of the regular courses are declared; students need to score minimum passing marks to be promoted or to complete their course. While media reports suggest that AKTU will declare the COP results soon, there is no official confirmation. AKTU officials did not respond to calls seeking a comment. If they do, this copy will be updated.

Also Read | AKTU: Why BTech seats are going vacant in UP engineering colleges

AKTU Results: Jobs lost

Shivkumar Chauhan completed his BTech from a private engineering college in UP’s Hapur district in 2023. He lost two job opportunities due to the absence of his AKTU marksheet.

“I have given the COP exam in January and I am yet to get my final results. In absence of results, I lost two well-paying jobs and now I am forced to work at a fabrication shop as there is no one to manage the expenses of my family. I request the university administration to release the results soon,” he said.

Many students are unable to apply for jobs in private companies and fill government jobs recruitment forms.

“My father is a farmer but he borrowed money from relatives to ensure that I could complete Btech. I completed BTech last year but had to sit for COP in January as I could not clear two final-year papers. I am still awaiting results and I can’t apply for jobs until I have them,” said Praveen Kumar, who completed his BTech from a private engineering college in Greater Noida.

AKTU COP Results: Academic plans

Not just employment, future academic plans are also on hold.

Kanhaiya Yadav completed BPharma this year from a Meerut-based private college affiliated to AKTU. However, he could not get admission in MPharma without the COP exam result. “Even if AKTU declares the results now, I have to wait for next year for admission. I wasted one year due to the delay,” he said.

Suraj Kumar had written the COP exam in January this year. “After completing my BBA, I wanted to fill the Common Admission Test (CAT) exam form for MBA at an Indian Institute of Management (IIM). September 13 is the last date and I am yet to get my results.I took CAT coaching and my preparation will to waste,” he said.

AKTU result update

The APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University administration is yet to update results and marksheets even for students who have cleared the COPs. In some cases, the updates are held up by bureaucratic hurdles. In consequence, their futures are stalled as well.

Nitesh Yadav completed his BPharma from a Ghaziabad-based private college in 2022. “Last year, I had given a special COP and I cleared the exam. However, my marksheet is yet to be updated by the university. The college administration is demanding Rs 10,000 for updating my results from university,” he said.

Himanshu Bansal completed his BTech from a Noida college in 2022.

“I was marked absent in an internal examination paper when I already had given the exam in third year in 2021. I cleared the same paper in 2022 but this is yet to be updated on my results. The college is asking me to go to AKTU Lucknow to resolve this. Is it my responsibility to do this? I am unable to apply for further studies and jobs. I am having suicidal thoughts as I am seeing my juniors getting the jobs while I am unemployed and I am at home,” he said.

Also Read | Expedite AKTU carry over exam result declaration: AISU writes to UP CM, Governor

AKTU COP Results: Delays routine

After taking nearly a year, AKTU recently released the result of the carry over examination held in August 2022. However, it is yet to declare the results of COP held in December 2022 and January this year.

With a base of three lakh students, AKTU has been running without an agency to update the examination results since December 2022, according to a TV9 report. The tender process to appoint an agency failed twice. The university administration is in the final stages of appointing UP Electronics Corporation Limited as an agency.

Pawan Bhadana, national president of AKTU Students Association (AKTUSA) said that the controller of exam Rajiv Kumar on September 6 told him that efforts were on to declare COP results this week. However, the university is yet to announce a fixed date for the results.

“We demand the immediate release of all pending results with fairness and the resolution of other pressing issues. Failure to address these concerns will compel AKTUSA to take protest action and pursue legal recourse,” he said.