Dear KU, can you just figure out a date please?

I feel like I am wasting my time studying, because the exams in KU do not seem to be happening anytime soon.

When I first enrolled in a dental college in Karachi, I was expecting to be done with my Bachelors in Dental Surgery within four years. However, that dream seems to have fizzled out. As each day passes, I sit at home, wondering when I will get the opportunity to write my exams and move on to second year.

The institutes that are affiliated with the University of Karachi are required to conduct their exams at the end of the year, which occur at a time specified by the KU.

When I and the rest of the students of course, were panicking and cramming concepts into our sorry heads back in October, we were told that our exams would take place in the first week of November. It has been almost a whole month to that, and there is still no news of the exam dates.

This same concept of delaying exam dates has occurred as far as one can remember. Friends and relatives who were already studying under Karachi University had warned us of this, and we should have been prepared. However, I am inclined to ask, how does one prepare oneself for unpredictability?

Most of the students, including those of my university, have been sitting at home since mid October. In the beginning, everyone was motivated to study, but now, that motivation is gone. I feel like I am wasting my time studying, because the exams do not seem to be happening anytime soon.

Calling up KU's examination department bears no fruit either, for they never repeat the same answer twice. They have something different to say each time. So much for consistency!

Ranging from mid December to mid January, they have given a different date to each person who has called them. Most recently, they informed us that they were unable to conduct exams as there were already many other exams going on and that there was no additional room in the university. Ongoing exams are constantly postponed due to the situation of the city, and so the vicious cycle continues.

It is important to note that seven dental colleges are affiliated with Karachi University, and all of them undergo this stressful time every year.

Now, I would like to pose a crucial question: how can a university expect good results when the students don't even know how much time they have to study for an exam? How can we plan and dedicate our time according to the dates when no date has been released? It's like shooting arrows while blindfolded!

If you say that is not a good enough reason, then let's try another one.

It is December 20, 2012 today and there is still no news about the exact date of the examinations. There has been some speculation, however, about the exams starting by the end of December. I question them, how much longer is it going to take KU to tell us the exact date, when there are only 11 more days till December ends?

KU is a huge institution, and it is time that it becomes responsible. Their examination system is poorly managed. I would like to take this opportunity to ask Karachi University to please pay attention this matter. Students would be grateful if they were given a schedule at the beginning of the year, rather than waiting and even forgetting things we once thought we were good at.

This study leave has turned out to be a period of pure torture for most of us. During this time, we can neither enjoy ourselves, nor study properly. Due to the unpredictability of the dates, it is impossible to plan a vacation as well, for the exams may even go on as long as the end of January. They might still be far off, with about three more weeks to go, or they could easily be within the next ten days.

We have been studying, cramming, revising for far too long, and now would just like to get over with this torture. I have been sitting in my first year for a year and a half now, and would please, just please, like to move on. It is time that Karachi University revises its rules, and takes a step towards becoming a better university.

Thank you!