There is never any reason for late submission of assignment that is a good excuse . As Academic administrators, we condescend to dole out measly remissions for “genuine” reasons. When somebody asked to list at least five reasons for late submission of assignments, the pompous pedagogue in me said: “Why five, only one – laziness”. Soon remorse set in, as I recalled the forlorn faces of sincere students, who, after all, are just children with so much to learn, love and enjoy.

Why is it difficult to submit assignments on time?

From the childhood days, the DIN (Do It Now) concept has been dinned into us – that we should finish our tasks at the earliest, if not immediately. As a student, assignment submission is an important and recurring task. Sitting at the right side of the table, I have long since been dishing out assignments with liberal remarks of “or else” to the unfortunate students who are standing at the wrong, receiving end.

I decided to put myself in a student’s shoes (a bit too tight!!) and think of the causes of late submission of projects. It’s a new shift from an otherwise pampered lifestyle, new cultures, new routines and too many firsts, happen during the transitional period of life. There are concerns regarding finances, coursework, new relationships and a million reasons for submitting assignment late Even to me, it didn’t seem fair to have judged them so harshly earlier.

5 reasons why students fail to meet the deadline:

Did the student-child in me take charge? The know-it-all part of me said, I could do this in a jiffy, so why not finish a few other things meanwhile – Do it Now became Do It Next. Presto, the first reason why students miss submission due dates: procrastination. Assignments can wait, there are so many other things happening around– go to a party, watch a film, attend a fest, etc. Can you afford to miss a date? You don’t have one still? But, what if one comes along at the last minute?

In my case, I wanted to go out for a while, return early and start writing. Alas, the car broke down and when I returned home, the internet was down. So the second reason: unforeseen events is the most common reason for submitting assignments late. This is one of the most common yet not so good excuses for not handing in homework. There could be some personal constraints like an illness, an accident, lack of concentration or prior commitments. There may be resource constraints like power outage, website going down or the reference material locked up while the person with the key is on leave.

When one earnestly, or due to compulsion to complete the course well, sits down to work on assignments, the other factors emerge on the horizon. “Did I get the correct question?” “Do I have the required knowledge?” If not, “Do I have the resources, including time to work on?” “Will I be able to meet the deadline this time?” “Even if I have the resources, will my inability to manage time while working on the assignment, backfire again?” Plagiarism is never the solution, in fact its highly unethical.

Discussions with others and clarifying doubts will put a demand on their time. Thus, insufficient knowledge about the assignment (questions and/or solutions) is another cause assuming one understands what is asked, answering might take more time due to confusion about the scope and relevance. The problem may be less severe in derivations and calculations using tools and tables. The difficulty will be in interpretations and expositions, particularly for open-ended questions. These some of the factors affecting students late submission of output.

After all these barriers, the student has a major demon awaiting him/her: the mode, style, language, etc., of the presentation. Is it too concise or too verbose? Have I assumed something which has to be explicitly put? Not knowing the mindset of the evaluator is a handicap. Attending the lectures (especially those which are linked to coursework questions) helps a lot in focusing on important aspects of the question. Knowing the whims and fancies of that person – often he/she is your tutor or professor – is a bigger danger. The curative measures might turn out worse than your natural output. The worry about what and how to present, and when to stop paralyzes the students, making it impossible to meet the deadline. But, no more, I know what is missing in the picture and I can make a difference in my next assignment submission.

Like great men say, be the change you want in the world. A student can actually bring positivity back. All it takes it a little bit of focus and shedding off laziness. Understand what due date meaning stands to be, it will help you in working more sincerely. A student can easily transform their lives with the help of yoga and meditation. These are some additional Productivity Tips to help you in your pursuit of never missing another submission due date.