Pune University Grants ‘Carry Forward’ Relief to Backlog Students, Allows Temporary Admissions Under Conditions

Pune, 14th August 2025: In a major relief for thousands of students, Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has announced that those with academic backlogs will be given temporary admissions to the next academic year under a special ‘carry forward’ provision for 2024-25.

The move comes after protests by the National Students Union of India (NSUI) on Thursday, which alleged that nearly 40,000 students were facing academic losses due to the university’s no ‘carry forward’ rule. The policy had prevented students with pending subjects in the first, second, or third years from securing admission to the third, fourth, and fifth years of their respective degree programs.

Responding to the agitation, Dr. Prabhakar Desai, Director-in-charge of the Examination and Evaluation Department, addressed students at the protest venue and confirmed that the university had issued a circular approving the special provision. “This decision will ensure that no student loses an academic year due to pending backlogs. However, the admissions will be purely temporary and subject to specific conditions,” he said.

Provisional Admission Criteria
According to the circular, students who have failed in the first year will be granted temporary admission to the fifth semester of the third year. Those who have failed in the second year will be allowed to enter the seventh semester of the fourth year, while students with third-year backlogs will be permitted into the ninth semester of the fifth year.
In a change from the existing system, eligibility for continuing in the program will now be determined on the basis of the winter semester examination results for 2025-26, rather than the summer semester results for 2024-25.

Conditions for Students
The university has made it mandatory for all provisionally admitted students to submit a guarantee letter. They must also participate in lectures, practicals, demonstrations, field visits, and sessional work like regular students.

SPPU has cautioned that if a student fails to clear the backlog in the winter semester exams of 2025-26, their provisional admission will be cancelled and fees will not be refunded. Furthermore, students will have to appear for pending papers alongside their summer session examinations.

Dr. Desai said the step was taken to ensure academic continuity while maintaining the rigour of examinations. “This is a one-time relief measure and students must utilise the opportunity responsibly,” he added.