MG University to shut down all off-campusesOver 450 B.Tech students, who had thought of raising their marks a few notches by attempting the internal improvement examinations, are in a fix owing to the delay on the part of the Mahatma Gandhi University to hold the tests even as the annual regular/supplementary exam for the subsequent year commenced. Expecting timely internal re-dos and results, some of these students didn't even register for the latest round of supplementary exams.
Following the footsteps of the Calicut and Kerala Universities, the MG University had announced last November that it will conduct internal improvement programme for students from the 2010 batch onwards who have completed their four-year regular course. The University amended its B.Tech course regulations, (prevailing since 2010), to allow eligible candidates to improve their internal assessment scores so that they can improve the overall scores to achieve the pass percentage of 40.
In order to meet the passing criteria of 75 out of 150 marks for each subject, students have to obtain 40/100 marks for the University exams and 35/50 for the internal assessment. According to a circular issued by the University, candidates can apply for internal re-dos if they have passed in the particular subject for University examination or have already obtained 70 per cent marks in internal assessment process (35/50).
The students were asked to pay a fee of Rs 2,000 per subject and the registration for the internal re-dos closed by January. The circular directed that the registered candidates "shall complete the stipulated assessment exercise within a minimum of 45 days and a maximum of 90 days from the date of registration for internal re-do."
Screengrab of the circular issued by MG University in November 2017However, the students approached the university after the said time since they were yet to be given any alerts or notifications. The students allege that the University is yet to initiate the proceedings.
“Around 500 students, who have applied for the re-dos, didn't register for the ongoing regular/supplementary exam that commenced in May since the re-dos were scheduled to be held before that. There are students who have paid up to Rs 18,000 for various papers. After approaching the University many times, the authorities have issued a circular in May stating that the re-dos will be conducted within a period between November 2018 to May 2019. We will lose nearly one-and-a-half years due to this delay,” a 2016 batch student who doesn't want to be named said.
Screengrab of a notification issued by MG University in June 2018The number of attempts for internal re-dos have been restricted to one for the candidates and the entire re-do exercise is applicable only to batches from 2010 admission onwards.
Talking to Onmanorama, MG University vice-chancellor Dr. Babu Sebastian said that measures will be taken to conduct the re-dos as soon as the results of the ongoing exams are published. “The evaluation of the ongoing exams will be conducted soon and the results will be published at the earliest so that students from 2018 batch also will get a chance to apply for the re-dos if needed. There were certain procedural delays in holding the improvement assessment since we have to identify a teacher per subject from selected colleges/centres to oversee the process. It will be completed in August and the assessment programme will be held without delay,” he assured.
