After protests, SPPU grants special chance to students with backlogs

Savitribai Phule Pune University announced implementation of ‘Carry Forward’ policy for academic year 2025-26 after agitations led by engineering students over past three months

Pune: The Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) officially announced the implementation of the ‘Carry Forward’ policy for the academic year 2025-26 on August 14. The policy will apply to students from all streams and courses, including engineering, who had previously been rendered ineligible for promotion due to academic backlogs.

Savitribai Phule Pune University announced implementation of ‘Carry Forward’ policy for academic year 2025-26 after agitations led by engineering students over the past three months. (HT PHOTO)

The university issued an official circular outlining the new policy, which is expected to prevent academic loss for an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 students from various streams. The decision comes in the wake of demands and agitations led by the engineering students over the past three months.

Several student organisations, including the National Student’s Union of India, had organised large protests thrice, demanding that the university allow students with backlogs to continue their studies in the next academic year.

“This decision has lifted a huge weight off our shoulders. Many of us were under extreme stress, fearing we’d lose an entire academic year because of just one or two backlogs. The university has given us a special chance and now it’s our responsibility to make the most of this opportunity,” said Sumit Bansode, engineering student.

According to the official circular, the ‘Carry On’ provision is applicable only to students enrolled in the academic year 2024-25 who appeared for the winter 2024 (October-November) and summer 2025 (April-May) examinations and failed in one or more subjects. These students, who would normally be barred from progressing to the next year due to backlogs, will now be granted provisional admission to the next academic year. Students who have failed in their first-year exams will be allowed to enter the fifth semester (third year); those with second-year backlogs may proceed to the seventh semester (fourth year); and third-year students may move forward to the ninth semester (fifth year).

However, the admission will be provisional and subject to conditions. Students must submit a formal undertaking to their respective colleges, accepting full responsibility for completing academic requirements such as attendance, coursework, practicals, field visits, and internal assessments.

Desai has clearly stated that the eligibility for continuing in the higher semesters will be determined based on the results of the winter 2025-26 examinations. If students fail to clear their previous backlogs by then, their provisional admission will stand automatically cancelled and any academic fees paid in such cases will not be refunded. The examinations for such students will be conducted during the summer 2026 session, alongside the regular semester exams to ensure that no additional examination sessions need to be organised separately.

Desai said “This policy is an exceptional measure, adopted only for the academic year 2025-26, and shall not serve as a precedent for future academic sessions. Courses governed by apex regulatory bodies, such as AICTE or NMC, will remain subject to the guidelines set by those bodies.”

This move is being widely viewed as student-friendly, a pragmatic decision to strike a balance between academic standards and students’ futures.

“This is a golden opportunity for the students. I thank the university for considering their demand,” said Ronak Khabe, president of Alasi Engineering.

Akshay Jain, president of the media department of Youth Congress, said, “Our fight for student’s rights has finally succeeded today. The struggle proves that unity and persistent efforts always bring change.”