Question paper fiasco continues to haunt Calicut University
Question paper fiasco continues to haunt Calicut University – 12 exams of distance education students put off in the last minute
CNM Reporter
Following the instance of faux pas noticed in the question papers circulated for the examination of the paper, Hadees Literature and Science of Prophetic Tradition of the BA Afsal Ul Ulama fourth semester students held in last June, Calicut University has abruptly postponed 12 examinations of the distance education students appearing for the third Semester
CUCBCSS – UG (SDE) programme.
The examinations are scheduled to commence on November 28 and to end on December 4. The announcement of the postponement comes just a day ahead of the commencement date, putting the students in severe hardships.
According to the notification issued by the Controller of Examinations Dr. C. C. Babu, revised date of postponed exams would be announced later.
The sudden announcement of the postponement of examinations has left thousands of distance education students across five districts in a quandary.
Even as the varsity collects hefty fees from distance education students, they are the most neglected lot among the students of the varsity. Study materials are not timely and property distributed to them. Very often, the exam centres of the distance education students are changed at the last moment. They have to run from pillar to post to know the new centres. Most of them are elderly students from far off places who work and study. Results of distance education students are inordinately delayed.
Earlier, in the question papers for the BA Atsal Ulama fourth semester examinations, the correct answers for the questions in MCQ Objective section had been printed in bold letters. The correct answer, among the four answers given, for each question could be easily identifiable for the students, going by their thickness in printing with bold letters for the correct answers giving them a clue.
University Press Release-No reason given for the change of the exams
The grave error was noticed at the centralized valuation camp held recently. The teachers who evaluated the scripts revealed that the answers printed with bigger letters were the correct ones.
The apparent comedy of errors in setting of question papers in Calicut University originated with the question bank prepared for the distance education students. The correct answers against the questions in MCQ section have been given in bold letters for easy comprehensibility by the students.
While setting the question papers for the University examinations, the question paper setters appear to have copied the MCQ questions without any care and vigil.
In all probability, the examinations conducted for this paper will be cancelled, as there were media reports and criticism terming the issue as “answer donation”
The varsity, in shock over the previous case of bungling and apprehending the trend again in question paper preparation, has, in a fire fighting mode, now postponed the examinations.
No official explanation for the change of exams has been given.
It is learnt that new question papers will be set by a fresh team of setters. A huge expenditure will have to be incurred for the setting of the question papers again due to the miserable handling of the serious and sensitive exam work done by the examiners.It may take months for the re-examination to be conducted with the time and measures required for the setting and printing entailing inordinate delay in the declaration of results.
The Local Fund Audit will come to the picture in due course with audit remarks to realize the loss sustained to the varsity funds from the persons at fault.
The postponement of exams comes days after 17 number of answer scripts of fourth semester degree exam went missing from the EDE section of the Pareeksha Bhavan and a teacher mysteriously returning them to the varsity after evaluation. A reexamination was ordered by the University in this case with the students in receiving end.
