FOREIGN DEGREES OF UNCERTAINTY COLLEGE EXAMS AWAITED

FOREIGN DEGREES OF UNCERTAINTY COLLEGE EXAMS AWAITED

Overseas studies, mark-sheet turbulence

Bharat.Yagnik@timesgroup.com

Ahmedabad:28.06.2021

With universities planning to hold college exams for final year students from the first week of July, students planning to go overseas are a worried lot as colleges there will open in September.

Rohan Sheth, a final year IT student from Silver Oaks College of Engineering and Technology, Ahmedabad, has finalized his plans for New Jersey in US for a postgraduate in computer science. He has enrolled in a college . But his visa procedure is stuck and cannot be completed before August it seems.

“To get my visa, I need my final semester mark-sheet. The exams will be held in July and the marksheet will come later. My plans depend on timely holding of the exams,” said Sheth.

Maulin Joshi, who runs a consultancy firm said the delay in college exams due to Covid-19 is impacting the overseas plans of many students.

“Especially those students whose academic performance depends on their final semester results are in a lot of stress. For students who wish to go overseas before the academic session starts in September, all the preparations including visa approvals should be in place by July 15,” said Joshi.

Most of the universities in Gujarat have planned to conduct final year exams for undergraduate and postgraduate students from July 6 to July 15. It would take another 15-20 days for the results to be prepared and given to the students. Many students have received inprinciple approval from overseas colleges and universities for further studies, but a final call is taken only after the final semester results are declared and mark-sheets produced.

Mili Vakil, a student of integrated BA-LLB at GLS Law College, is looking at a stressful timeline between appearing for her final sixth semester exam slated on July 6 and getting her student visa for her master’s in law course from University of Birmingham, UK.

Her course starts from September. Vakil says she has her fingers crossed to complete theexhaustive paperwork needed to start her foreign studies.

“There is a long journey ahead which includes appearing for the exam in July, getting marksheet, receiving transcript, provisional degree certificate, other documents, and confirmation from the university for student visa,” said Vakil.

Vakil’s friend Tanzim Surani who is also headed to the UK says she is hoping she can start her foreign studies in September.