Not our decision alone to pass students, say VCs

‘STANDING AT STAKE’

Not our decision alone to pass students, say VCs

Hemali.Chhapia@timesgroup.com  10.07.2020

The minister said the formula for backlogs was derived by a group of vice chancellors.

If the subject has an internal test, 50% of the score from it too would be added. And if a student still does not make the cut, grace marks would be given. In case of no backlog, the final semester’s internal marks will be added to the average of the previous semester scores.

However, experts said it may be tough for the 2020 batch to find jobs or acceptability in universities abroad without clearing exams—for one, regulatory bodies may not certify them, a point that’s been communicated to the government. Senior academics were taken aback by Samant’s claim that the decision was a unanimous one by vice-chancellors and directors of institutions who met on July 4, and not forced by the government.

Samant had outlined the state’s position earlier this week in a letter to Union minister for HRD Ramesh Pokhriyal, with a copy to Amit Shah. “Maharashtra is the worst affected state with more than two lakh cases confirmed cases so far,” it said as the reason for its inability to comply with UGC guidelines.

Samant showed recorded clips from a meeting held by VCs and other academicians to prove the point that they were aligned to the state’s position. However, one of them told TOI that the meeting was held before the UGC guidelines were out. “This is not right. We were asked if exams could be held in July. Also, we were given a strict mandate to draw up a formula to clear all ATKT students. Clippings shown during the press briefing make it look as if VCs took all decisions by themselves. We were forced into all this…”

About the ATKT formula, another said, “What if a student has remained absent? How many grace marks will you give? In fact, some students with backlogs may end up with a better score than the ones who have cleared all subjects without special state treatment.”

VCs feel the standing of their institutes is at stake now due to the impasse.

And when asked about professional regulating bodies like the Architecture Council and Bar Council that refuse to grant practising licences to those not examined in the final year, Samant said he had written to them and was awaiting their reply.