ISLAMABAD, Oct 15: The BE telecom students of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) staged a protest demonstration in front of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club camp office demanding accreditation of the discipline with the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC).

The students said the issue of accreditation had been pending with the PEC since 2000. Throughout this period, the council sent delegations to the university on six occ

asions pointing out shortcomings. But the varsity administration has made no efforts to remove the deficiencies.

The students raised slogans against the varsity administration and the vice-chancellor whom they held responsible for the issue.

“The VC has also closed the BE telecom department of the varsity,” the students said, adding currently about 350 students were enrolled in the discipline. “If anyone of us fails in any subject, there would be no tuition facility. We have paid Rs20,000 to Rs25,000 for each semester which is not less than the fee of any other public varsity,” they added.

The varsity administration at a meeting had assured the student representatives that the issue would be taken up more vigorously with the PEC accreditation committee in early May. Since the varsity could not remove the shortcomings highlighted by the committee, the discipline could not be recognised as promised, they said.

They said if the AIOU failed to get the discipline affiliated with the PEC, it would put the future of about 15,000 students at stake. They said 350 of the total students were in the final semester while the rest had passed out but failed to get permanent jobs.

They said the accreditation with the PEC was a requisite for getting a permanent job in both public and private organisations. The future of the students that have passed out from the varsity during these eight years still hangs in the balance since they are not considered eligible for a permanent job in any organisation.

“We have contacted every concerned department of the government including AIOU admin, HEC, ministry of education but no one takes the responsibility and clarifies its position,” they noted.