The seven colleges' journey with Dhaka University may soon come to an end, with both parties aiming for a fresh start -- separately.
The affiliation was intended to improve education quality and ease session jams.
But this "union" has proved far from harmonious. Forged in 2017, the relationship now appears to be heading for a formal split, as students from both sides have called for an end to the affiliation.
When the government first shifted the colleges from the National University to DU, the plan was to raise academic standards and streamline administrative processes.
However, this transfer lacked a solid operational plan, leading to multiple setbacks for the students. With exams frequently delayed and results often caught in administrative backlogs, the intended benefits never materialised.
The colleges in question are Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Mohila College, Government Titumir College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Mirpur Government Bangla College, and Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College.
For the students here, the "DU affiliation" has come to mean session jams, uncertainty, and mounting frustration.
Meanwhile, DU students have often blamed the affiliation for stretching university resources and straining academic schedules.
Many DU students have even labelled the colleges as a "burden" on the institution, calling for their separation.
Following prolonged student protests, the government is now considering a "divorce" of sorts -- planning to end the DU affiliation for the colleges and exploring options for an independent university.
On November 5, student representatives from the seven colleges met with Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud, who assured them that the affiliation would be cancelled.
The adviser requested time to create a new structure, potentially forming a separate university exclusively for the colleges.
In a meeting held on November 2 at the office of the DU vice-chancellor, pro-VCs and representatives from the Anti-Discrimination Students' Movement echoed similar sentiments.
Youth and Sports Affairs Adviser Asif Mahmud was present at the meeting, where students called for a resolution to the longstanding issues facing both DU and the seven colleges.
Abdur Rahman, a Dhaka College student, said they have paused their protests demanding a separate university for now, trusting in the government's commitment to address their demands.
"The adviser assured us that DU affiliation will end and asked for logical time to form an independent institution," he said.
According to another student representative, the government has assured them that the colleges will not be returned to their prior affiliation with the National University.
However, no specific deadline for the plan's finalisation was provided, he added.
A government official hinted that the University Grants Commission will be consulted to assess the infrastructural needs of an independent institution.
A committee of experts is expected to evaluate the impact of the proposed split on educational standards and student welfare, said sources from both the government and the students.
Meanwhile, relevant advisers are expected to conduct on-site visits to the colleges soon, the sources added.
Students hope this potential "separation" will end years of academic delays and open the door to a system that better meets their needs.
