INDIAN
EXPRESS: CHANDIGADH: Tuesday, September 25, 2012
THE
marking scandal that rocked Maharshi Dayanand University at Rohtak last month,
in which seven first year B Tech students, who failed in the Essentials of
Communication subject, but passed with first divisions after re-evaluation, has
got bigger with records, obtained through RTI, showing that more than 400
students benefitted from the re-evaluation.
While
over 900 B Tech students, who failed in the exams, cleared after the
re-evaluation, there is a stark difference in marks awarded, by the original
examiner, the first and second re-evaluators, to at least 400 of the students.
In
some cases, while the original examiner has awarded a zero, the student has
ended up with 78 marks after the revaluation. Similarly, 7 has become 64; 22 has
become 90 ....... and so on.
The
anomalies in marking is not confined to a single subject with whopping
differences showing up in the answer sheets of a variety of subjects including
Physics, Basics of Electronics, Mathematics, Digital Electronics, Electrical
Technology, Eletromechanical Energy Conservation and Discrete Structure or
Engineering Mechanics.
What
is common to most of the students, however, is that those who flunked in the
first marking, managed to score more than double the original marks after the
re-evaluation.
MDU
authorities have already debarred 10 evaluators and re-evaluators, for 1-9
years (depending on the quantum of errors committed by the individual); who
allegedly figured in the scandal and were indicted for erroneous markings. The
University, however, has neither taken any action against the students, who
benefited from the marking anomalies; nor has it decided to hold the
examinations again.
The
marking pertains to the first year B Tech examinations held by MDU in December,
2010. The results were declared in September, 2011 and students were given 15
days to apply for re-evaluation of their answersheets.The revised results were
released in February, this year. On February 23, 2012, acting on the basis of a
complaint lodged by a University insider, an inquiry was initiated to probe the
unusual marking patterns. On June 26, 10 evaluators were debarred from all
examination duties.
One
of the debarred evaluators, Satish Kumar, has filed a criminal writ petition
challenging the University’s verdict, in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. MDU
has been issued a notice by the High Court, to reply to allegations. “We have
come to know that the High Court has issued a notice to us. We shall submit our
reply. We are taking adequate steps to prevent such things, but these
evaluators and re-evaluators keep committing errors, for whatever reasons.
Certain areas are very subjective. But we are looking into it to prevent such
things from happening in the future,”said MDU Vice-Chancellor R P Hooda.
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