Students in some public universities are hitting a bad patch due to session jam as they have only two to three years left to apply for a government job after they graduate.
Students at those universities need seven to eight years to complete their four-year graduation course whereas they can apply for a government job cannot apply after the age of 30.
“Nowadays, government jobs are highly competitive and one needs at least one to two years to get in the process of applying for a job. We are in deep trouble,” said Abul Kalam Azad, who graduated from Rajshahi University.
According to the University Grants Commission, session jams are acute in Comilla University, Rajshahi University, Jahangirnagar University, Islami University and National University. Students said session jam in the universities are affecting them economically and psychologically leading them to an uncertain future.
“When one has to complete a four-year course in six or seven years, it really affects him or her economically. But what matters the most is when we do not get government jobs,” said Mamun Hossain, a graduate from Islamic University.
He said either the government should increase the age limit for government job or remove session jam from the universities.
Students have been demanding an increase in the age limit for the government jobs. Some of them also observed sit-in-demonstration programmes in some universities to drum up support for their demand.
On the issue, UGC Chairman AK Azad Chowdhury said the situation had improved a lot in the recent years. “We are trying hard to end the session jam in the universities but the students and teachers agitation are a drawback,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
When asked about students’ demand to increase the age limit for government job he said the demand was worth considering.
