Nearly 250 students of the 2015-17 postgraduate batch of Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, have something to cheer about.
The Mahatma Gandhi University has decided to release their degree certificates, which were put on hold as part of the action taken against the college authorities for violation of the evaluation norms prescribed by the varsity for various postgraduate examinations. The varsity had slapped a fine of ₹10 lakh on the autonomous Maharaja’s College for adopting indirect grading instead of direct grading.
The Syndicate took the decision after the Higher Education Department requested it to temporarily freeze its decision to put on hold the release of degree certificates. The request was made considering the future of the students. Many could not pursue their higher studies following the decision taken by the varsity not to release their degree certificates.
However, people close to the development said other disciplinary proceedings against the college authorities for violation of norms would continue. “The Higher Education Department has not asked us to waive off the ₹10-lakh fine, but has only requested to freeze the decision to hold the degree certificates of the students,” they said.
At a hearing held on September 28, the college authorities had informed the varsity that the decision to implement indirect grading, instead of direct grading, for examinations held for the 2015-17 postgraduate batches was taken on the basis of guidelines issued by the varsity to chairpersons of various boards of studies. They were told to change the evaluation of answer sheets to indirect grading instead of direct grading on the basis of reforms implemented by the varsity for its undergraduate courses.
The board of studies for postgraduate subjects, academic council, and the governing council had also ratified the indirect grading system. The authorities informed the syndicate that the regulations for postgraduate admission 2015 were submitted before the varsity for approval.
The college authorities had also requested the varsity to approve the grading pattern implemented for batches that got admitted for various postgraduate courses in 2015, considering its status as a government college.
The college management had said the regulations for the 2015-16 postgraduate batches were submitted before the varsity in tune with the recommendations of the Autonomy Act. The college went ahead and implemented the regulations in accordance with a provision in the Act that it stands approved automatically, if the varsity does not take a decision within 30 working days after receiving it.
