SRINAGAR: Students enrolled in BBA and BCA programmes at Islamia College of Science and Commerce, Srinagar, are facing uncertainty over the degrees they will receive, with questions being raised over the nomenclature of the programmes after students have already spent years pursuing them.
The issue has left students concerned about the value and recognition of their qualifications, particularly for higher education, employment and competitive examinations.
According to the students, those admitted to the programmes from 2021 onwards joined the college through the formal admission process, including CUET, after fulfilling the prescribed eligibility criteria and paying the required fees. They said there was nothing at the time of admission to suggest that there were any issues with the recognition or nomenclature of the degrees.
A BBA student currently enrolled at the college said, “They are confused. If we took admission for BBA, why is the college changing it suddenly?”
The students said the matter came to light after they were informed that their degrees might not be issued under the BBA and BCA nomenclature under which they had enrolled. Instead, they fear that their qualifications could be treated as general BA degrees.
The students alleged that a BA degree could be pursued at other colleges by paying around Rs 6,000, and said they had chosen Islamia College and paid around Rs 14,000 because they expected to receive professional degrees after completing their programmes.
The uncertainty is particularly worrying for students who are midway through their courses or have already completed them. According to the students, some of those admitted between 2021 and 2025 pursued BBA in Business Administration and BCA in Computer Applications, but are now facing questions over how their qualifications will be recorded and recognised.
The BBA students are being told that they will be awarded a BA with a major in Business Administration and a minor in Economics, while BCA students are being told that they will receive a BA with a major in Computer Application and a minor in Information Technology.
The students maintain that these qualifications cannot be considered on a par with the professional degrees for which they had originally opted.
A student who recently completed BBA said, “The college and the University authorities are both at fault equally. It is not possible that they were unaware about the discrepancies in the names or recognition.”
The students have also questioned how the programmes were offered through the formal admission system if there were concerns about their recognition. They want the college and the University of Kashmir to clarify whether the status of the programmes changed later or whether the issue existed when admissions were offered.
The students said the matter was not simply about the wording printed on their degree certificates. They fear that a change in nomenclature could affect how their qualifications are assessed by universities, employers and other institutions.
A student who pursued BCA at the college said, “I am hopeful that our department will resolve the issue within a few days as they have given us the assurance.”
The students said they had been told that the college would take up the matter with the university and explore possible rectification. However, they said they remained unclear about what had caused the discrepancy and what form the eventual resolution would take.
The issue has also raised questions about the admission portals and documents through which the students entered the programmes. They said the BBA and BCA nomenclature appeared throughout the admission process, making it difficult for them to understand how the degrees could subsequently be treated differently.
The students have sought a clear written explanation from the college and the concerned university, particularly regarding the status and recognition of the programmes at the time of their admission.
The issue has meanwhile led to protests on the college premises, with students demanding clarity and protection of their academic and professional interests.
The college has now formed a committee to address the concerns raised by the students. The circular issued in this regard reads, “The Committee shall co-ordinate with the University of Kashmir authorities and pursue it appropriately with a view to arriving at an amicable and favourable resolution/settlement in the interest of the aggrieved students.”
The development comes shortly after a similar controversy at the Islamic University of Science and Technology, where BSc Economics students objected to a change in the nomenclature of their degree to BA Economics after they had already completed two years of the programme.
