After timetable botch-up, M’lore university conducts re-exam

STUDENTS SHOCKED

After timetable botch-up, M’lore university conducts re-exam

Kevin.Mendonsa@timesgroup.com

Mangaluru  07.12.2020

Imagine reaching an examination hall well-prepared only to realise the exams have already been conducted. This was the shock Mangalore University (MU) interior design students hoping to clear their backlog examination got on September 24.

The incident came to light over two months after the examination was conducted. Students who approached TOI said the university failed to conduct examination as per the schedule mentioned on their admit cards and later quietly held the re-exam.

Sources said the botch-up occurred because colleges had informed students of the tentative — not the firmed up, revised — timetable.

Students of BSc (interior design and decoration) said the first-semester human rights paper was scheduled on September 24 between 2pm and 5pm. When students reached the examination hall, they found that the test was already conducted in the morning. They were forced to appear for a re-exam on October 15.

After realizing its mix-up, MU released ‘a clash examination’ list on September 28 and students appeared for the exam on October 15 accordingly. TOI has a copy of the clash examination list.

Ordeal for many

A wheelchair-bound student, assisted by his wife, travelled from Payyanur in Kerala to write the examination. “Travel during Covid-19 crisis is a challenge. We reached Mangaluru one day in advance, stayed in a hotel. On reaching the examination centre in the afternoon, we were told the test was conducted in morning. We returned for the re-exam on October 15,” said the student’s wife. The student was admitted for the 2014-17 batch, but could not complete the course due to an accident. Several other students faced a similar situation.

Sources said the goof-up occurred because officials failed to upload the updated admit cards well in advance.

Mangalore University registrar (evaluation) PL Dharma said, “The university sends a tentative timetable and admit cards to institutions, it invites subject-related clash or objections from the colleges. In this case, colleges have downloaded and issued a tentative timetable and failed to notice the final timetable issued by MU.”

‘3 students took re-exam’

On asked why the examination was rescheduled if there was no mistake by the university, Dharma said, “This was done to help the students. Three candidates appeared for the re-examination.”

He clarified that this decision does not require approval from Mangalore University syndicate.

Sources said the goof-up occurred because officials failed to upload the updated admit cards well in advance