Hundreds of pharmacy students Protest in outside Himachal Technical University, demanding a one-year relaxation to clear backlogs; administration seeks PCI waiver.
Students Protest Speak Out on Academic Pressure and Lost Time
Hundreds of pharmacy students from across Himachal Pradesh staged a sit-in outside Himachal Pradesh Technical University (HIMTU) on Tuesday to demand a one-year relaxation allowing them to appear in pending examinations, saying existing rules force them to repeat an entire academic year for a single backlog.
Protesters — primarily B.Pharmacy students — raised slogans and warned that the agitation would be intensified if the university did not respond to their demands promptly. Student leaders said the current rule that bars students who fail the first semester from advancing is unfair and is costing them a full year’s academic progress and career momentum.
HIMTU Dean Rajesh Kumar confirmed the administration’s position, saying the university follows the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) norms. He added that the university has already approached the PCI seeking a one-year relaxation similar to concessions granted to earlier batches, signalling that officials are pursuing an institutional route to resolve the standoff.
