Thousands of students at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) are grappling with blocked Permanent Registration Numbers (PRNs), which have prevented them from submitting their exam applications.
This issue affects around 30,000 students from Pune, Ahmednagar, and Nashik districts. PRNs were blocked for students who did not clear their exams during the semester completion period, leaving many unable to proceed with their studies.
The situation echoes a similar problem from last year when SPPU offered two additional exam opportunities with the University Grants Commission (UGC) approval. This intervention allowed approximately 117,000 students to complete their degrees. However, students this year argue that they were not informed about the UGC’s timing regulations, causing significant disruptions to their education.
Students such as Rushikesh Badgujar, a BE student, and Tejas Pathare, a BE Civil student, have called for urgent intervention. They highlight that the COVID-19 pandemic and other delays contributed to their inability to meet the examination deadlines. They are pleading with the university to grant them a final chance to clear their backlog subjects.
Student leaders and organizations, including the University Students Struggle Committee and Yuva Sena, have threatened mass protests if the university does not resolve the issue. They argue that the current situation imposes an additional financial burden on students' families and jeopardizes future employment opportunities.
In response, Dr Parag Kalkar, Pro Vice-Chancellor of SPPU, confirmed that the university is aware of the issue and is actively engaging with the UGC. He assured that SPPU, following UGC directives, will take appropriate action to address the student's concerns and potentially offer re-exam opportunities.