IBA Enrollment: words you hear about from your seniors and they make you shudder. You get chills from days and nights of do’s and don’t’s advice by seniors until the dreadful moment arrives. You believe you are prepared for any possibility of going awry. However, in hindsight of the occurrences, we witnessed this time, how wrong you are to think that!
The Agony of an IBA student
IBA enrollment is not child’s play. It still gives me chills thinking about the horrendous moment the portal crashed and I had to try out three different time slots for one of them to finally work.
Although, it is fair to say multiple issues experienced were foreseen. To list a few, the portal crashed and numerous students did not get their preferred professors or courses. Amongst the distress and rush, many fail to even get enrolled until the end of facilitation week.
However, enrollment, this time, took a drastic turn from a nuisance into a living nightmare for the students at IBA.
The Torment Escalates
This teacher belongs to us!
To start, the concept of certain teachers for programs was applied at IBA for enrollment. This came off as a fresh notion as students were ignorant of it. I remember seeing in public spheres that it was perfectly fine to do so as students had done it before.
However, due to this, a considerable amount of students got de-enrolled from their courses. Some students even said they were not allowed to take those courses again.
Looking at the bigger picture, applying this concept also harmed students in another way. There was less flexibility offered to the students in each program. For certain programs, lesser instructors or courses are nothing new but for many, it was unfamiliar.
Fish market or the IBA program office?
At this point, there is no difference. Facilitation week took a toll on all of us but most of all on a particular sort of people. Ones who waited for days outside the program office. My utmost respect goes out to all of you! Many students also claimed they never got to their turns even after days of waiting.
The Obverse Narrative
Ignorance isn’t bliss
Although many would say the disorder that transpired was an example of tremendous agony, some efforts were heavily ignored. Ones, in specific, by the program office.
As aforementioned, the program office did apply a new concept of teachers being picked according to respective degrees. Many students took to saying they were oblivious to this.
Anyhow, what many refused to mention were that the instructions had been mentioned in emails before the enrollment cycle even began at IBA. So perhaps, the crisis of de-enrollment would’ve been dodged if students read emails and followed instructions!
Herculean Effort in the Misery
Moreover, the constant reassuring messages from the program office was indeed a good endeavour. These could be seen in many emails sent throughout the week by them.
As much as it would’ve been exhausting for students, it would’ve been draining for the faculty in the program office to have to deal with queries nonstop, day to night. Even with all the disarray, they still managed to solve most of the problems faced. Perhaps, they, too, deserve kudos for their efforts!
Culmination
To summarize, enrollment this semester at IBA turned out to be every student’s living nightmare. With all the mishaps and the lack of means of proper communication, why wouldn’t it? According to many students, a good enrollment process seems to be a pipe dream.
However, it is not to say it wasn’t difficult for the faculty in the program office. To blame a singular entity is not a wise decision.
Moreover, a parallel incident occurred at a university a few years back. At least it’s nice to know we are not alone in this nightmare. In the end, we, as IBA students, hope to see a better process of enrollment and avoid endeavours similar to these in the future.
