HIGH COURT RULINGS ON EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

HIGH COURT RULINGS ON EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

02.06.2021

BDU justifies using last year’s test for semester exam

Trichy: Bharathidasan University has drawn flak from teachers for using question papers printed for last year’s semester exams in the online exams which began last month and were put off after four days.

However, the university has justified it saying there was nothing wrong in it. While online semester exams were held for a few subjects from May 5, it was subsequently postponed following the surge in Covid -19 cases.

The university has been conducting semester examination in hybrid mode. In this mode, question papers are mailed on the day of exam to the student who have to write it at home and submit the answer scripts in person at the respective colleges after the three-hour exam.

Students who appeared for the first two exams found it strange to see a correction on top of the question paper. They learned that last year’s question paper was given to them after changing the month and year from April 2020 to April 2021 which was visible.

One of the students sent the paper to his teacher who checked it with that of last year but found the questions to be different.

AUT general secretary M S Balamurugan said it was a dent on the integrity of the university. “Old question papers are usually not used. This has left the university exposed of its inefficiency. When there are corrections in the question paper, it is natural for students to have doubts. The office of the controller of examination should have prepared a fresh set,” he said .

Revoke illegal postings in state universities: HC

Chennai: Universities in the state should ensure equal opportunity, fairness and transparency in appointments to all posts, Madras high court has ruled.

Though Justice R Mahadevan passed an order to this effect while hearing a case relating to Bharathiar University, he made it clear that the verdict would apply to all universities in the state.

The judge also ordered the Bharathiar University to videograph interviews conducted for recruitments, to revoke illegal appointments and recover salary paid to such candidates so far.

The court passed the order while disposing of a plea moved by R Ramesh, S Ramkumar and S Kanakaraj challenging the appointment of assistant technical officer (library) made by the university. They wanted the court to direct the university to remove M Gowthaman, who was appointed as the assistant technical officer to Arignar Anna Central Library in the university.

According to the petitioners, Gowthaman did not possess the required qualification – a degree in any subject along with a degree in library science. While an inquiry was conducted by a university committee based on the representation made by the petitioner, Gowthaman was promoted as technical officer.

Concluding the hearing, the court stated that Gowthaman, being unqualified, was not entitled to be appointed as assistant technical officer.

Rejecting the contention that the issue has become infructuous on the superannuation of Gowthaman, Justice Mahadevan said: “This court does not think so, because any illegality cannot be given a seal of authenticity just due to lapse of time.”

Question papers are mailed on the day of exam to the student who has to write it at home and submit scripts in person

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