Hundreds of students at Aligarh Muslim University's Community College are facing an academic crisis after completing BVoc degrees that were intended to lead to integrated five-year technical qualifications.
These graduates now have no pathway forward and hold degrees that industry won't accept.
With months of appeals falling on deaf ears, students have announced another protest for tomorrow (July 22, 2025) at 10 am at Community College Bab-e-Syed, demanding the university honour its original promises.
The crisis stems from AMU's failure to launch the promised MVoc programme outlined in the university's 2022-23 prospectus. Students enrolled based on assurances they could complete a five-year integrated program, but now find themselves stranded with three-year qualifications.
"The three-year course was launched as part of the Skill India campaign, and a two-year master's degree was supposed to follow. However, the master's degree is now blocked because the university is still not prepared and according to NEP 2020, it requires a four-year undergraduate degree to pursue a master's in any technical field," explained one affected student who requested anonymity.
Policy changes create perfect storm
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 mandates that only students with four-year technical degrees can pursue MTech or similar postgraduate programmes. Simultaneously, companies increasingly require four-year degrees for core technical roles.
"This degree that comes under the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, AMU, was launched by the government itself, and is now not acceptable to them or the industry. Introducing such a course made no sense because the entire fee is wasted since the degree holds no value," the student said.
Exhausted appeals
Students have tried every formal channel for resolution, submitting written representations to the vice-chancellor in January 2025, securing official recommendations from faculty, and holding multiple meetings with administrators. Despite Proposal No 195/CC being formally submitted in May 2025, no action has been taken.
When frustration peaked, students held a peaceful protest on May 30, 2025. Officials provided verbal assurances that problems would be resolved, but these promises proved empty.
"Students are now more determined because this concerns the time and future they have invested. A sudden policy change cannot take away the years dedicated to this degree," the anonymous student stated.
National appeal
With local channels exhausted, students have appealed to the Union Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, offering to pursue MVoc on a self-financed basis. Their case affects hundreds of families, many from disadvantaged backgrounds who trusted institutional promises.
"Students are asking for nothing but what is genuine and what they paid and worked for, a degree that was part of a government initiative. We demand the hold on MVoc be removed so we get what we deserve," the student emphasised.
Frustrated by months of inaction, students have called for another protest scheduled for July 22, 2025, at 10 am at Community College Bab-e-Syed. The demonstration, organised under the banner "Stand for M. Voc - Fight for Your Identity," represents a renewed push for resolution after previous assurances proved empty.
The outcome will determine whether these students' three years of study prove worthless or lead to the qualifications originally promised.
