Bhubaneswar, Aug. 8: Graduates of Biju Patnaik University of Technology, who have been debarred from taking up higher studies at Utkal University, today met higher education minister Badri Narayan Patra and sought his intervention on the issue.

In 2012, the Utkal University passed orders through a notification regarding “equivalence of degrees” for admission to its undergraduate, postgraduate and other degree programmes.

A list of 172 universities was published whose degrees were to be considered equivalent for admission into various programmes of the university.

The list includes some technical universities of Calcutta and private universities of the state.

“However, it is really unfortunate that the BPUT does not figure in the list,” said president of the BPUT Students’ Protection Council Biplab Prakash Mohanty.

Rajendra Beuria, a B.Tech. pass-out from a private engineering college under the BPUT, has been running from pillar to post to get admission into a law programme at Utkal.

“I passed my B.Tech. last year and wanted to study law. The authorities rejected my application stating that the BPUT is not an equivalent varsity. I really did not understand what that meant. I have been pursuing the matter with various officials there, but without any success whatsoever,” said Beuria.

Like Rajendra, many others who want to take up courses such as business administration, computer application, law and personnel management and industrial relations have been denied seats at Utkal.

“It is unfair and unfortunate that Utkal University has accepted many private varsities, but not a government institution,” said Mohanty.

The BPUT students also submitted a memorandum to chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

Since the admission process in the university will end by this week, the students requested an early solution to the problem.

The Utkal University authorities said they would work out on a solution within the next few days.