Kumar Bahukhandi
Chhattisgarh Higher Education Minister Tank Ram Verma speaks to the media. Verma has announced provisional fifth-semester admission for students facing progression difficulties under the National Education Policy (NEP), with the government also set to make necessary amendments to the relevant ordinance. (File Photo)
Students failing in one or two papers of the first or second semester to get provisional admission; Higher Education Minister Tank Ram Verma says ordinance will be amended to protect their academic year
Raipur: In a significant relief for thousands of college students studying under the National Education Policy (NEP), the Chhattisgarh Government has decided to allow provisional admission to the fifth semester for students who were being denied progression because they had failed in one or two papers in their first or second semester Verma said here in Raipur on Teachers Day on Saturday September 5, 2026 . .
The decision is aimed at ensuring that students do not lose an entire academic year because of the existing progression requirements. The Higher Education Department will also make the necessary amendment to the relevant ordinance to accommodate the change.
Higher Education Minister Tank Ram Verma said the government was sensitive to the academic future of young students and remained committed to implementing the National Education Policy effectively while addressing practical difficulties that arise during its implementation.
“The Higher Education Department and our government are extremely sensitive towards the bright future of the State’s young students. We are fully committed to implementing the National Education Policy effectively,” Verma said.Under the existing situation, students who had failed in one or two papers of either the first or second semester were facing difficulty in securing admission to the fifth semester. The issue raised the possibility of affected students losing an academic year despite having continued their studies through the intervening semesters.
The government has now decided that such students will be granted provisional admission to the fifth semester, providing immediate relief while the regulatory framework is formally amended.
Provisional Admission to Protect Academic Year
“If any practical problem or obstacle arises during the implementation of NEP, it will be resolved promptly, keeping in mind the golden future and overall development of our youth,” the Higher Education Minister said.
The move assumes particular importance as colleges and universities across the State continue their transition to the academic structure introduced under the NEP. The government’s decision acknowledges that implementation of a major academic reform can create unforeseen procedural difficulties and that students should not bear disproportionate consequences because of them.
Ordinance to Be Amended
Verma said the government would not restrict the relief to an interim administrative arrangement. Necessary changes will also be made to the relevant ordinance so that the issue is addressed within the regulatory framework.
“Students who were unable to take admission to the fifth semester because they had failed in one or two papers of the first or second semester will now be granted provisional admission to the fifth semester,” Verma said.
He added that the necessary amendment to the ordinance would be carried out in time, keeping the wider interests of students in view.
The decision provides an immediate academic pathway for affected students while allowing them to deal with their pending papers under the applicable rules. More importantly, it prevents a limited number of uncleared papers from automatically interrupting their academic progression for an entire year.
For thousands of students and their families, the announcement brings clarity at a crucial stage of the academic session and signals that the State intends to address practical difficulties emerging during the transition to the NEP framework without compromising students’ educational prospects.
