NAGPUR: With Nagpur University (NU) examinations set to commence from March 25, many students from its affiliated colleges are being forced to appear in them without proper studies, in absence of teachers.
According to academics, some colleges didn't appoint contributory teachers in the academic session 2020-21, citing the Covid-19 pandemic. Quoting an example of a government-run college, they said that for a couple of subjects, it failed to appoint a contributory teacher after the previous one superannuated last year.
“No online classes were being held for these subjects since July-August when academic sessions began, yet the college administration got exam forms filled by the students. The NU administration isn’t monitoring this important aspect either. If not even a single class has been held, how are the students asked to appear in the examinations? Is it allowed as per existing rules?” they said.
They added that if students were allowed to appear in NU exams on the basis of self-study in absence of teachers, the rule of mandatory appointment of teachers should be relaxed.
Endorsing them, NU statutory members said this situation was rampant in lesser-known private colleges, particularly in the rural areas or those located outside the city limits. “In absence of proper monitoring, these erring colleges not only manipulate teachers’ appointments, but also attendance of the students, they said.
The members added, “A majority of NU colleges run courses on the basis of contributory teachers and did not bother to appoint a regular lecturer approved by NU. Since all classes were held online last year due to Covid-19 pandemic, many of them did not bother to appoint lecturers to avoid paying them salary.”
NU’s board of examination and evaluation (BOEE) director Prafulla Sable could not be contacted for comments on academics' allegations. Senior NU officials said they will inquire into it and take action against the erring colleges if they failed to appoint the contributory teachers.
Over 2.60L students to appear in NU exams
Speaking to TOI on Friday, the BOEE director said over 2.60 lakh students would appear for NU exams commencing from March 25. Of them, 2.30 lakh are undergraduate and 32,000 are postgraduate students. “Unlike summer 2020, the students wouldn’t get any choice, as they have to compulsorily solve all 40 multiple choice questions (MCQs) of two marks each in one hour. Last time their syllabus wasn’t completed but now, all colleges have completed it through online teaching,” he said.
He clarified that the colleges were entrusted to conduct postgraduate exams along with those of external students. “Even for those UG courses where the number of students is below 100, their respective colleges would hold their papers and submit the marks to NU. We will be keeping copies of their question papers with us and regularly monitor their exams,” Sable said.
Winter exams in numbers
2.3 lakh – UG examinees
32,000 – PG examinees
2.60 lakh – Total students
40 – Questions in each paper
2 – Marks per MCQ question
1 – Hour duration for all papers