Students' Handbook

Greetings

Welcome to Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), if you are a new entrant; thanks for being with it, if you have been with it for some time already!

Your University

SSUET is now your University. You now share and represent its reputation, since in Pakistan and even abroad. It is already regarded as a center of excellence. Sponsored by the Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association of Pakistan (AMOUBA) -----a body dedicated since its very inception to the cause of education in the country-----the University formally opened its classes in 1994. It has made rapid strides since then. The University has an outstanding Faculty, excellent Lab equipment and facilities and a study-friendly environment. So, if you feel proud to belong to it, there is good reason for it.

The Invisible Bond

When you join an educational institute, you enter into a bond with it, though unwritten. The institute undertakes to take care of your education and welfare. You pledge to respect the institution, uphold what it stands for, and add to its honor and reputation by becoming a good student and a good person. The first thing to remember then is that bond has already been invisibly sealed between you and SSUET, The University considers its students its most valuable asset and continues striving to increase the worth of that asset day by day. The students own part in the success of this effort is no less important.

The Ideals

SSUET is not like just another institution of higher education. It was created based on certain ideals, and stands by them. Its Sponsors (AMOBA) handed down those ideals to it. The Sponsors inherited them from Aligarh, which symbolized the wisdom and the sprit of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, the great educationist and reformer of Muslim India in the nineteenth century.

Sir Syed believed that for a speedy progress and development, Muslims had to get a high-level education and that too, without prejudice at all to any language or source of learning. He believed that there was no harm in getting the best from the West’s languages, literature, technology and civilization. He was convinced that this was possible without losing the East’s own valuable heritage. Above all, He insisted that education should include the building up of character, and that for Muslim the character to be buildup should be that of a true Muslim. That convection of the great visionary still holds good -----more than a century later.

Sir Syed considered Muslims one nation, separate from other nations in India at that time. He asked Muslims to hone there distinct characteristic and stand for there rights. More over, He emphasized the oneness of the nation itself. For a unified progress he exhorted the nation to eschew all differences based on class, sact and geographical division.

This thinking provided the launching pad when it came to the struggle for a separate country under the able leader ship of Quaid-e-Azam. The Pakistan movement gained its fame and its vigor from the Aligarh Movement, and became inseparable linked with it. SSUET stands at the influence of those two remarkable streams.

The first stream comes from Sir Syed and the Aligarh Movement. Bases on it, SSUET provides the best of Instruction in the chosen fields of modern technology to prepare its students to meet the ever increasing challenges of the fast-developing and fast shrinking global village. However, the University would not like to see them become mere mechanical Robots or moneymaking machines. To avoid these happenings the University has, for instance, kept Islamic studies as an important addendum. To its technical courses to ensure guiding its students towards the religious precepts and foundations of the Muslims characters. Ethical Behavior is an alternative course for Non-Muslims students, essential with the same purpose of character building.

The second stream comes from Quaid-e-Azam, Allama Iqbal and he Pakistan Movement. Under it, the University strives to mould the education and training in such a manner that the students develop into good, responsible citizens, proud of their historical heritage and dedicated to building up the country’s future. As a means of support to this objective, for instance, Pakistan Studies and Aligarh Movement is a course taught along with the other technical subjects.

Being in any form and with any content is not possible without cohesion; where there is no cohesion; where there is no cohesion, there is chaos. Even the universe was created based on a scheme and unmistakably follows certain laws. Individuals, instruction, even nations must exist cohesively to survive and make progress. In terms of human life, this cohesive existence is termed discipline, and is defined as training of mind and character as well as living by rules.

An-institution discipline is in fact the collective image created by the discipline of the individuals it represents. A single case of indiscipline by such an individual casts a shadow on the entire image. In the case of educational institutions these individuals are primarily the students. Thus, you have to be disciplined not only for the sake of putting your life in order, University, and ultimately when you enter active life after the education, the image of your nation.

Discipline-Various Facets

Discipline has many facets in an educational institution. However, since the overall objective of an educational institution. However, since the overall objective of an educational institution is to educate, discipline in such an institution revolves around the motto: studies above all. Every regulation made, every rule adopted is to uphold this primacy. Every act that detracts from this motto is considered unacceptable. Without discipline, sustained education is not make our thinking and our actions discipline.

Broken down into various facets, discipline in an educational institution represents those elements of individual behavior that are virtues by themselves and, when they are exercised diligently, help the institution also to carry out its responsibilities in an effective manner. Proper dress and identity, high level of punctuality and attendance, respect of authority, good conduct, decorum in a coeducational set-up, non-political outlook and activity, and use of fair means in every activity and at all times, are some of the most important such facts of discipline.

Student's Identity

Every student should feel proud to be identified with the institution he or she belongs to, and identified. To establish such identity, the University has prescribed an Identity Card that must be carried on your person all the time. Such card is particularly handy when identity has to be established for entry into the library, the Canteen, the examination halls or various functions of the University. To have it on demand is to the advantage and protection of both your own self and of the university.

Another means of identifying yourself with the University is the uniform that has been prescribed .For boys, the uniform is white shirt, grey pants and green tie having the University emblem. For girls, uniform is white shirt, shalwar and green dupatta with the University emblem.

The requirement that you wear the uniform when you come to the University is a simple way to promote a sense of deprivation among those with relatively limited means. As a bye-product not an insignificant one .It may curb shabbiness and casualness of dress, habits that mar the personal image, whether one is a student or an office-goer.

Punctuality and Attendance

Punctuality and a high percentage of attendance are important elements of student discipline. They essentially show the relatively level of student interest in their studies and they enhance, for the students the benefits received by them from their institution. Moreover, if ingrained as a habit, these elements promote a response and mature attitude towards life. As you have joined the University to complete a certain course and to gain the required knowledge, it should be your duty to attend your classes and attend them punctually; is this not simple logic?

Without putting in atleast 80 percent of the total attendance, you will not be permitted to sit in the examination. However, even if you put in this required minimum and are allowed to take the examination, think that you had missed one-fifth of the lectures.

Those students who are absent seven consecutive days without notice. Either from the lectures or from the laboratory work, will not be allowed to resume their studies, unless satisfactory explanation is submitted and accepted by the vice chancellor.

Respect of Authority

If discipline is living by rules, then respect for the set of rules selected is presupposed. It is also presupposed that respect is also given to the social, religious or institutional authority that is behind such set of rules. The absence of such authority and the want of such respect are nothing but signs of anarchy. The basic unit of such authority, or social order, is the family. Educational institutions, where the family’s initial guidance and training are continued and added to, have in fact to be regarded as extended families.

The teachers and other functionaries of such an institution, therefore, deserve, within the premises and outside of the institution, the same respect that is given to the elders of the family. This does not mean that there should be no complaints or disagreements, if any, have to be conveyed in a civil and rational manner and through the channel or channels prescribed for this purpose. Forwarding applications, appeals or any other communication direct to nay authority other than the Chairman of the Chancellor are strictly forbidden.

There are few things in the world of which there is so universal basic understanding and appreciation as good or bad conducts. Every human being has an inner meter, call it conscience or anything else, which if honestly used, tells one whether an act is I accordance with accepted norms of behavior or not gentlemanly, civil or proper.

By way of illustrations only, some elements of good conduct of a student in Pakistan , and for that matter of SSUET ,can be cited. His or her conduct is considered good if he or she:

Evedently, recognized criminal, unlawful, immoral or dishonorable acts are as bad within the Campus as they are outside or not. In addition, some specific examples can be given of conducts considered unbecoming and objectionable for the students of the University:

a. Breach of public morals, such as use of indecent or filthy language; use of indecent remarks or gestures; disorderly behavior, such as shouting, abusing, quarrelling, fighting and insolence.
b. Disturbing the peace at the Campus through exploding of crackers, etc.
c. Indulging in such unruly, odd and dirty rituals as throwing colors on each other.
d. Defiance of authority.
e. Shouting slogan derogatory to the University, or to its officers or teachers.
f. Inciting, staging or participating in a walkout, strike, or any other form of agitation, including unauthorized procession against the University, or its teachers or other functionaries.
g. Consuming alcoholic drinks, drugs or other intoxicants within or outside the Campus.
h. Smoking in the classroom, laboratory, workshop, library, Examination Hall, Convocation Hall, and functions of the University.
i. Visiting places declared out of bound for students, or visiting without pass places that are to be visited only with a pass issued by a person authorized for this purpose.
j. Wrongful impersonation, giving false information, or willful suppression of information with intent to cheat or deceive.
k. Collecting any money or receiving any donation or pecuniary assistance for or on behalf of the University expect with written prior permission of the Vice Chancellor.
l. Habitual neglect of studies or absence from class without reasonable cause.
m. Willful damages to the University property or the property of a fellow student, teacher or nay other employee of the University.
n. Yon-payment within time of fees, fines or other duties levied under University status, regulations or rules.

Dealing with Indiscipline

Indiscipline is dealt with in the University at various levels and according to its gravity. The guiding rule followed is:

compassion to everyone and consideration at all times but no compromise in matters of principle. A Discipline Committee has been established in the University to deal with serious eventualities, but with the hope that it would have to be used as sparingly and exceptionally as possible. Action in cases of severe breach o discipline may include even rustication or expelling, but no penalty in any case will be awarded unless the suspect of an act of discipline has been given a reasonable opportunity of being heard and replying to the charge or charges against him or her.

Non-Political Outlook and Activity

This University, like any other institution of higher education, encourages its students to broaden their mental horizons and take interest in current affairs and healthy debate on national issues prepare the students for their future responsibilities as members of the country’s citizenry. Extra curricular activities of various types are designed to promote such interest.

For healthy group activities, students may even form societies or clubs. Provided such form societies and clubs are completely open in their membership. However, all sectarian, political activities are strongly discouraged at the Campus, since such activities detracts from studies, become harboring grounds for undesirable influences from outside generate indescipline of one of type or the other. The University has taken pains to create for itself the image of a totally non-political and non-parochial institution and enhance this image. Any lapse in this respect is not viewed lightly at all.

Fair Means

Merit is the soul of education and must be upheld at all costs. If you cheat to get ahead in education, you cheat your ownself in the Final analysis. The Degree got through unfair means is nothing more than a mere piece of paper because it has not been obtained with the desired store of knowledge to back it. A reward that has not been earned in not a reward but a slur. Let it be understood clearly that any tendency or specific acts, and what ever form, to words the use of unfair means will be firmly dealt with by the University. No undeserved advantage, sort through any underhand manner, is worth the risk of the humiliation and other dire consequences that it may involve.

Library

There is Library in the University that is growing by the day. A reasonable collection of technical books and magazines and journals is available. Textbooks are issued to the needy students for one semester from the Book Bank.

The Library is meant to be used, hence should not be misused. It is no place for idler, gossiper and loud talker. If you are sitting there and not studying or taking notes, you are occupying some one else’s sit. Also, silence is the rule for the Library even around it and with in earshot, total respect for this rule is a must. The next time you are in the Library, just ask your self this question: If I am concentrating on a book and/or taking notes would I be happy with a din or chatter around?

Canteen

In the premises where one routinely spends of lot of time, a place is required for a cup of tea or snacks, and such a place has been provided at the Campus. Misuse of this place is also undesirable; the Canteen is hardly an arena for political canvassing or matching the strength of one’s vocal chords, be it in friendly argument or unfriendly altercation. A basic thing to remember is that there should be some difference between a roadside café and a teahouse of a degree class student.

Career Planning

Absorption of its students in the job market as active contribution to their respective fields is a matter of great concern to SSUET. A Career Planning-cum-Placement Bureau has been established in the University to help in this respect. The main objectives of this Bureau are to orient the students according to the job market demand and help and guide them with regard to their future working life. Even in the short time that it has been in place, the Bureau has rendered valuable service and has shown impressive achievement ---- no less a compliment to the quality of the Graduates produced by the University.

Epilogue

SSUET wishes well its students for whom it exists. It also hopes, and is Confident, that its students will excel at the University and be also successful in their life after their studies.