Patuakhali Science Technology and University Prime Minister Gold Medal-2019, 20, 21 nomination list has generated mixed reactions. A section of the aspirants complained that the university rules were not properly followed in preparing the list sent by the university registrar’s office to the UGC for awarding medals. On the other hand, the registrar’s office is saying that all the regulations of the UGC have been properly followed in preparing the list and recommending names for the Prime Minister’s Gold Medal this year.
Basically sending the list of irregular students with highest CGPA along with regular students of the university has created mixed reactions.
As mentioned in Section-6 of the Prime Minister’s Gold Medal circular, all the faculties for the year 2019, 20 and 21 have been asked to highlight and send to the UGC the 3 highest marks on the basis of the examination results approved by the Board of Regents/Academic Council along with nominations.
On the other hand, as mentioned in paragraph 23 (last line) of the Academic Profile of PSTU, a student will not be considered eligible for merit award if he appears in any form of repeat examination. It is because of this rule that no one who has previously been irregular has been sent to the list despite having the highest CGPA.
Earlier, no irregular student was given merit even after obtaining the highest CGPA, despite the notification of Prime Minister Gold Medal published by UGC and the policy regarding the award of Prime Minister Gold Medal being the same since 2015. Also names are not included or recommended by the University in the list of recipients of ‘Prime Minister Gold Medal’ or ‘President Gold Medal’. The CGPA of Ibrahim Khalil, an alumnus of the 2010-11 session of the Faculty of Environment and Environmental Sciences, is 3.97. But the faculty whose name is sent from the university has a CGPA of 3.90.
In this regard, Ibrahim Khalil, a student of the 2010-11 session of PSTU, said that despite having the highest CGPA, the university did not give me a merit position and my name was not sent for the Prime Minister gold medal.
When asked, Senior Assistant Secretary Zahirul Islam, who is in charge of the scholarship wing of the University Grant Commission, said, “We were not aware of this complex issue before.” We have already received two complaints about this. We have a steering committee. The matter will be presented there and then a decision will be taken.
University Registrar (Acting) Dr. Mohammad Islam said that two lists of regular and repeat examinees have been sent this year. When asked why the names of the repeat examinees were not sent in the previous years, even though they had the highest CGPA, he said that the matter was not discussed then and therefore was not thought of.
In this regard, Prof. Dr. Swadesh Chandra Samanta, vice chancellor of PSTU, said that the UGC officials had a discussion with the university registrar and the officer of the education department; it was decided to send two lists there. Now whatever decision the UGC takes will be followed.
