New Delhi: A single backlog from an earlier semester will no longer force final-year students at Jamia Millia Islamia to lose an academic year, with the university amending its rules to let them clear pending papers through compartment examinations instead of having to wait until the next annual examination cycle.The amendment to Ordinance XV, approved by the university’s executive council and effective immediately, widens the scope of compartment exams for final-year students in annual mode programmes.Until now, those in their final year could appear in compartment exams only for backlog papers from the final two semesters. Any pending paper from an earlier semester meant waiting for next year’s exam, delaying their graduation by an entire academic year.Under the revised rules, notified on July 9, eligible final-year students will be able to appear in compartment examinations for backlog papers from any semester, allowing them to complete their degree without losing a year. The provision, however, will not apply to distance mode programmes.Explaining the rationale behind the move, a university official said the amendment was intended to ensure that “students do not lose an academic year because of a backlog from an earlier semester”.The university expects the amendment to benefit 100 to 200 students every year out of nearly 8,000 students graduating annually.The change is also expected to ease the transition from university to higher studies and employment. According to the university, students who clear their backlog through the compartment route will receive their degree along with the rest of their batchmates, instead of graduating a year later. “It will give them a chance to apply for both higher education and jobs,” the official said.The university clarified that neither the degree certificate nor the marksheet will indicate that a paper was cleared through a compartment examination, allaying fears that the route could leave a permanent academic notation.The amendment also modifies the university’s re-evaluation rules for final-year students. Instead of opting for re-evaluation — a process it described as “time-consuming” — eligible students will now be able to appear directly in compartment examinations, allowing results to be finalised more quickly.While the amendment primarily benefits students in annual mode programmes, Jamia officials said it is designed to prevent avoidable delays in graduation arising from old backlogs and to ensure that a single pending paper does not derail placements or admission to higher education.
