PESHAWAR, March 21: Hundreds of local Bachelor of Studies students on Wednesday expressed uncertainty about their future, saying they’ve been awaiting recognition of their four-year degree programme by some university for around two years.

They also showed disapproval of their government-run colleges’ proposal to again sit the examinations of three previous semesters that they have already cleared.

These students, who converged near the Peshawar Press Club, said their protest would continue until their degree programme was recognised by some university.

Protesters said they got admission to the four-year BS programme in September 2010 but whenever they inquired about its recognition, administrations of their colleges asked them not to worry.

According to them, they cleared examinations of three semesters with the last held from February 20 to February 27 this year and once they reached colleges to attend fourth semester classes on March 1, administrations told them to pass all three previous semester examinations yet again, saying it’s the condition of the University of Peshawar (UoP) for affiliation.

Students shouted slogans against UoP and the higher education department for endangering their future.

“It is not possible for us to reappear in examinations which we have already passed. It is very difficult to go through the books we have read in two years,” said a student.

When contacted, director (colleges) at the higher education department Ghulam Qasim Khan said the provincial government introduced BS programme in its colleges in line with the National Education Policy.

He said the education policies framed in 1972, 1979, 1998 and 2009 also called for the start of four-year bachelor degree in colleges to bring educational standard on a par with that of other countries.

“The two-year BA/BSc degree programme in government colleges is recognised and undertaken by universities, while after the launch of the four-year degree programme, it was obligatory for colleges to get it recognised by universities by applying for fresh affiliation,” he said.

Mr Ghulam Qasim said universities in the province had affiliated colleges in their nearest districts but Peshawar colleges, including Government Postgraduate College, Government Superior Science College and Government Mathra College couldn’t do so due to the delaying tactics employed by UoP.

He said UoP insisted that colleges should conduct examinations under its supervision and that was against the spirit of semester system.

“If UoP continues to block affiliation of colleges offering BS programme on one pretext or the other, they (colleges) will secure the same from other universities,” he said.

When contacted, Akhtar Amin, spokesman for UoP, said the university’s syndicate would resolve the matter in an imminent meeting.