Indonesia: Jambi University imposes stringent religious requirement

The Jambi University in the east coast of central Sumatra in Indonesia has imposed new regulations that requires all students graduating with a Bachelor's and diploma degrees to submit an official letter stating that they have met the religious requirements of their respective faiths.

The regulation in the University's Rector Decree No. 467/UN21/KM/2015, applies to Bachelor's and diploma graduates in the 2015/2016 academic year. The new ruling has taken most students by surprise.

Under the decree, all Muslim students have to provide a letter stating that they have recited the entire Koran while Catholics must submit a sacrament of confirmation and protestants are to "achieve edification of the church."

The university's students and alumni affairs Vice Rector Amrizal Lukman said the regulation is aimed at improving students' morality, in view of the high crime rate which he blamed on declining morality in the wider society, according to Jakarta Post.

"Promiscuity, violence and so on are prevalent now. This is due to a lack of understanding of religion," he said, noting the need for such a serious move.

He said the university had publicised the new rule and he was confident the students would back the "noble cause."

"If their faith is strong, the students will go on to become better leaders," he added.

The university, which was founded in 1963, is the biggest state university in the Jambi province, offering study programmes via 10 schools.

The Director General for Learning and Student Affairs at the Research and Technology and Higher Education Ministry, Intan Ahmad said he will assess whether the regulation contravened existing regulations.

"If the university insists on implementing the rule, it must provide supporting facilities to make sure that its students are able to fulfil the requirement by the time they graduate," he said.