I started my graduation at LU in 2023. From then till now, it’s been two and a half years, and the problem which was there in LU in 2023 is still there. No changes till now. Ever wondered what the administration is doing about it?
Every work is delayed, and if you ask me or any other student at LU, you’ll find them saying one thing which is most common, and that is, “The work of Lucknow University is always behind by 3 to 4 months. They are never on time.” Students come and pass out, but the functioning of the administration rarely changes.
Let’s talk about what is recently happening in the university.
The first-year students’ exams are still going on. The first-semester students have faced mismanagement at centres, like delays in papers arriving and scheduling problems that made students wait for hours before starting.
One of the major reasons for the exams being this much delayed has been the issue related to the Samarth Portal.
Many students faced technical problems while completing exam formalities, such as errors in registration details, delayed data uploads, and difficulties in form submission.
Because exam forms, student eligibility, and admit cards are all linked to the portal, these glitches slowed down the entire examination process.
As deadlines were repeatedly extended to accommodate unresolved issues, the academic calendar was pushed further and ultimately affected the timely conduct of first-year exams.
But this same problem happened last year also. Then it was understandable, as it was the first year the university started using the Samarth Portal as part of its digital rollout for admissions, registrations, and exam form processing. But again this year, the same problem occurred.
The administration has time to properly address and resolve the issue for the next year so students do not face these problems.
For many first-year students, this entire process has been overwhelming. It is their first time dealing with so many online forms, portals, and official procedures, and when the system itself does not work properly, confusion quickly turns into stress and anxiety. Many students were left wondering whether they had made a mistake or whether their forms had not been submitted at all. Instead of focusing on preparing for exams, they were forced to repeatedly check the portal, seek help, and wait for updates that often never came.
Lucknow University’s Proctor, on 17 January, issued a strict notice and reminder that all students must carry and produce their identity cards (ID cards) while on campus, and that those found without them could face consequences. This has become part of wider efforts by the administration to improve campus security and discipline. A very good decision.
But this also comes with a question. What about the students who didn’t receive their ID cards yet?
The student identity card is still not distributed to every student. How can it be, when the distribution process started in late December?
Shouldn’t students get the ID card at the start of the semester? If not in August or September, shouldn’t we get it by the end of October?
Most students don’t even know that ID cards are being distributed. Most second-, third-, and fourth-year students use their first-year ID cards.
While the university has made it mandatory for students to carry their identity cards in the name of improving campus security, the implementation of this rule raises important questions.
While students too share responsibility, enforcing strict consequences without ensuring universal access to ID cards seems unfair. With no consistent checks at the gates, the campus often feels like an open park where anyone can walk in whenever they want, raising questions about how security is actually being ensured.
Moreover, in a campus as large and crowded as Lucknow University, security cannot improve unless identity checks begin at the entry points. Without systematic checking at the gates, it becomes unclear how authorities will identify outsiders or ensure safety. Selective checks inside the campus risk becoming arbitrary, leaving the larger issue of security unresolved.
There are many more issues like these two which every student faces. And it’s been years since these issues have been there, but the administration hasn’t fixed them yet.