THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Students, who appeared for the recent postgraduate and PhD entrance examinations conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), have alleged that the
exams were marred with technical glitches and poor invigilation.
The exams for admission to around100 PhD seats and 300 to 400 PG seats were held on June 22 and 23. Though the students have contacted the ICAR authorities, including the director
general , seeking a retest, they are yet to receive a positive response.
Students, led by All India Agricultural Students Association (AIASA), pointed out that these problems persisted in centres across the country, especially in
Kerala. “The issues began with a denial of preferred choice of centres and for many applicants the centres were located at far flung areas,” said Sanoop Skariah Varughese, the state president of AIASA.
There was no proper security check at the entrance of the examination halls and students who had applied for the same stream were allotted adjacent seats. Poor invigilation led to mass copying at many centres, Sanoop pointed out.
“Due to lack of sufficient number of computers at the exam centres, students had to attend the test in batches,” he said.
Besides, several questions were not readable owing to poor operating system and other issues with regard to the exam interface. The interface was also submitting answers automatically before one could choose answers, the students complained. The system servers were also down most of the time, they said.
Around 4,000 students appeared for the exams from Kerala alone. “I have been receiving frantic mails from hundreds of students, whose future is at stake. The authorities should take the matter seriously and announce a re-examination,” Sanoop said.
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