Ruet cancels '33 credit system' amid protest

In the face of continuous student protests, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (Ruet) today cancelled the "33 credit system".

The university authorities introduced the system in 2013, where if a student fails to get 33 out of 40 credits, he or she will not be allowed to move up to next session and will have to retake the whole year again. 

The decision to scrap the "33 credit system" was taken at an academic council meeting after a section of Ruet students kept VC Rafiqul Alam Beg confined at his office since last evening. 

The meeting started around 10:30am at the VC office, reports our RU correspondent.

Hearing the news, the student also withdrew the ongoing strike that began on January 28.   

The students of 2014-15 and 2015-16 sessions confined the VC Rafiqul Alam, 15 teachers and deans of different faculties inside his office at 6:00pm yesterday.

The students were threatening to continue their movement until the authorities cancelled the credit system. 

Earlier on August 2015, students besieged the vice-chancellor's office and organised a demonstration programme demanding cancellation of the system.

According to the university sources, a student has to achieve minimum 33 credits out of 40 in the “33 credit system”. If the student fails to do so, he or she will not be allowed to move up to next session and has to retake the whole year.

Whereas previously, students were allowed to attend classes and examinations of the next session even if they got less than 33 credits. They could obtain the credits by taking examinations later. But the RUET authorities cancelled the system in 2013-14 academic year.

According to the university sources, each course represents three to five credits.