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Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service Chief Executive, Hasmukh Lal is urging universities to provide robust academic counselling to students seeking enrolment.

The call comes as the TSLS has seen a growing trend of students changing their programs.

Lal says as per their policy students are allowed to change their program in the first.

He says if students move to second and third year, they are not allowed to change programs and as a result, many end up ceasing their sponsorship or terminating their studies.

“If the student changes the program in the first year the bond period extends to another year. For example, if they are supposed to complete a degree program in three years that prolongs to a four-year program. So, that is why we are asking the students to really be firm in their choice of program and not necessarily come in the first year and change their program.”

Lal says academic counselling will help students take up programs which they are passionate about and determined to make a career out of it.

From 2019 to 2023, a total of 791 students changed programmes and the reasons were that they were forced to undertake the course, chose it under peer pressure or did not know the programme content and possible job roles.

However, Lal says due to vigorous awareness campaigns, last year they recorded the lowest change of request which stood at 35.