Final year students in Maharashtra have missed the September intake for postgraduate (PG) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes in overseas universities, and some say they might have to wait till next year to seek admission to the varsities of their choosing. Foreign universities and colleges have started the academic year 2020-21 by shifting courses to the online mode, but students in Maharashtra could not secure admissions as their final exams are still pending.
Foreign universities generally take a big chunk of their students in September.
Subhojit Das, who wanted to pursue a Master’s degree in Sociology in Ireland, said, "I need my degree certificate and final semester exam marks to secure my admission in the university. I have lost this entire academic year because the next intake is in March-April."
Mishika Grover was keen on doing a Master’s in Communication from New Zealand. "I cannot stall the university any longer because I don't even know when I will appear for my exams or get my results. New Zealand is one of the few countries to have lifted the lockdown real soon, but I cannot pursue my course online because I do not have my mark sheet.”
It’s even more frustrating for those who have cleared initial tests for admissions to foreign universities. Brinda Paul, a student planning to pursue a PhD in Canada, said, "I had cleared initial tests and even appeared for the English language test. But I am stuck because of this degree. Generally, I would have got my results by July, but now, it is August and there is still no probable date of exams."
Asked about final year students who have lost the opportunity to pursue higher education abroad, Uday Samant, Maharashtra’s higher and technical education minister, said, "The state government will try its best to prevent academic loss to these students. We will check the situation of admission in foreign countries."
