Thiruvananthapuram: Engineering and polytechnic students who are engaged in voluntary work for flood relief activities in the state, now stand a chance to earn grace marks.
The department of higher education has taken a decision in this regard and the directorate of technical education has been asked to coordinate the mission mode programme in association with the APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University.
“Mainly, the focus is to utilize the technological acumen and knowledge of engineering students in assessing the structural strength of
flood-hit buildings. A group of structural engineers have offered their service in ascertaining the structural strength of the flood-hit buildings. They have provided a detained check list in this regard. A few points suggested by the local self-government department have also been incorporated to this check list. The students are supposed to visit the buildings and fetch the primary data necessary for ascertaining the strength of buildings. College principals in association with local body authorities would jointly decide area of visit and the buildings to be inspected,” higher education principal secretary Usha Titus said.
Though engineering students pursuing both degree and diploma courses can participate in the rehabilitation work, students pursuing civil, electrical and electronic branches would get preference. The programme is being rolled out as part of the community outreach programme.
“Many of the engineering students who ventured into rescue and relief activities have supplementary examinations staring at them. Once they become part of this outreach drive, it would help them to earn up to 10% of the course marks. However, transfer of marks from one semester to another would not be permitted,” a KTU source said. However, those who participated in the rescue and rehabilitation drives other than this one would not be eligible for the grace marks.
This grace marks shall be awarded as part of the regular and supplementary examinations to be conducted during the end of current semester (August to December 2018). “This is only a one-time incentive and shall not be quoted as precedence under any circumstances,” an order issued by the university in this connection said.
