Education, Careers & Professional News
Delhi University Students, Yet To Wait
Even as Delhi University`s wait for a new Vice-Chancellor drags on, the new academic year has brought in a dilemma of a different kind for hundreds of students in their second and third year at college. With the examination department yet to announce the results of the first and second year examinations - held as far back as April this year – the students have been left anxious about their promotion to the next class.
Though the new session has already started on July 16, students are worried for they do not know if they have fared as well as expected. What is adding to their anxiety is last year`s results indicating a change in the internal assessment marks of many students.
It is just that if you know you have cleared the examination, the tension is off your head. While it is important to know if you have to repeat any paper to be able to plan for the year ahead, there is also a bit of worry about the internal assessment marks not being tampered with,“ said a student from Ramjas College.
Colleges do admit that if the results don`t come by this month-end, they would be considered delayed. The results usually come around this time, but this time round they are yet to be announced. Although it is not an inordinate delay, we have been in touch with University officials who have said that the results will be announced soon,“ said the Hans Raj College Principal, S. R. Arora.
It is very unusual that so few first and second-year results have been declared, says professor A S Reddy, principal of Sri Venkateswara College. It has been happening since last year. We have no alternative but to start classes. In fact, we have also asked students to deposit the fees by July 22. If any student fails, we will refund the money.
DU officials say that another major hitch in the examination process is the problem of getting examiners. On an average, only 50% of the examiners in the panel prepared by the office of the controller of examinations turn up for the post-examination meeting where answer scripts are distributed. Even a revision of their fees has not changed the situation.
The University so far has announced only the third year results. The most important results are those of third year students as they need it to get admission to other places or apply for jobs. The first and second year results are usually announced in July-August so we are expecting them any time now. Most students are expecting to pass, and since their classes are held as scheduled it does not affect their studies really,“ said the Principal of Daulat Ram College, M. Subramaniam.
The varsity seems to have a ready scapegoat in the CEE scam. Says a senior DU official, Immediately after the case was handed over to CBI, sleuths were closeted for weeks on end with the OSD (examinations), causing postponement of umpteen meetings. That obviously had a major fallout.
Professor C R Babu, former pro-VC and officiating VC of the university till June 29, conceded that the examination process needs to be streamlined. Ideally, all third year results should be out by the time PG admissions start and all other UG results should be out by the start of the new academic session.
Some of the antidotes he prescribes for DUs evidently ailing examination system include drawing up larger panels of examiners, continuous monitoring throughout from the end of examinations to the declaration of results and a system of pulling up examiners who shirk responsibility.
Brushing aside complaints of delay, the Controller of Examinations, B. S. Garg, however, maintains that the results are not delayed but taking time as the internal assessment marks need to added to the theory results. There has been no delay and they will be announced by August.“