Himachal Pradesh University allows ‘failed’ first-year students to sit in next class

Shimla, November 29

Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) on Tuesday allowed students, who failed in BA, BSc and BCom first year exams, to sit in next class on the condition that they would be sent back to earlier class if they fail in re-evaluation.

According to a notification issued by the HPU Registrar, such students would be allowed to sit in next class (second year) only after they give an undertaking that they agree to be returned to the earlier class (first year) if they fail in re-evaluation.

A low pass percentage in the three courses in the first year exams in HPU colleges has sparked a row in the state. Several students’ organisations have lodged protests against the online evaluation system.

The HPU Pro Vice-Chancellor had constituted a five-member fact-finding committee to look into the matter.

“About 300 papers were re-checked randomly and it was found that all papers were properly scanned and marked. The committee will check about 5,000 papers (50 papers of each subject from colleges where the pass percentage is less than 10) and the report will be submitted in 10 days,” said Dean of Studies Kulbhushan Chandel, who is also the chairman of the committee.

JS Negi, Controller of Examination, HPU, said that the overall results for first year BSc was 31 per cent, for BA 57 per cent, and for BCom 58 per cent.

The ABVP and the SFI allege that a snag in the online system has resulted in the low pass percentage.

Over 42,000 students had appeared in the examinations in these courses in May-June this year and the results were declared in November.

Meanwhile, the SFI today started on a 24-hour symbolic strike on the university campus to protest against alleged discrepancies in the online evaluation system that was responsible for the low pass percentage.

Harish, SFI vice-president of the HPU campus unit, said that the enterprise resource planning (ERP) – online system was responsible for the “mess” as the entire evaluation work was given to a private company on contract and there was no supervision by regular staff members. He claimed that the results of about 80 per cent students were lower than expected.

Ashish, president of the ABVP HPU unit, said that the low pass percentage had caused mental stress to all first year students. He added that varsity officials would not be allowed to enter the university campus if the discrepancies in the results were not removed in seven days.

“Teachers were opposed to online evaluation but the university authorities were adamant and implemented it despite problems and without training to teachers,” said Dr RL Sharma, general secretary, Himachal Pradesh Government College Teachers’ Association (HGCTA). He added that a majority of teachers had not taken part in the online evaluation process.

Sharma said the results had been delayed by over two months with the pass percentage courting a controversy. Moreover, secrecy was another issue. Earlier centres were created and two-tier spot evaluation was done, he added.

At the same time, a section of teachers is of the view that buckling under the pressure of first-year students to allow them to sit in next class before re-evaluation of papers does not augur well for the university.