Former Anna University Vice-Chancellor E.Balagurusamy said it is really very strange and unfortunate that the government has announced the cancellation of the arrears exams of all students (except final year).
“Governments have no right in interfering with the academic matters of universities and unilaterally cancel the exams,” he said in a release. “It is high time that the Vice-Chancellors should wake up and realise their autonomous status and resist any such unethical moves in the interest of the quality of education and image of the universities,” he said.
Exempting students from writing semester exams is one thing and cancelling failed students’ arrears exams and making them pass is entirely a different thing. People should not confuse the two, he added.
Universities do not conduct exams and pass results based on “whims and fancies” of students and politicians. Universities are highly autonomous bodies and their syndicates, senates and academic councils have all powers and authority and they can only decide about the conduct of exams and passing of results, he said.
“I understand that many students have more than 10 arrears and scored even less than 20% marks in most subjects. How can a university declare these students pass just because they have paid the exam fees? It is absolutely ridiculous. Such an action will not only lower the academic standard of the university but also affect badly its credibility,” he added.
It is unimaginable to see a world-class university like Anna University implementing such a lopsided decision. It is very sad that university academic bodies have been made irrelevant, Prof. Balagurusamy added.