‘Online Mode Means Results Not Reflection Of Quality’

332 engg colleges bag 84% pass in ’20

‘Online Mode Means Results Not Reflection Of Quality’

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:20.09.2021

As many as 332 engineering colleges affiliated to Anna University got a pass percentage above 84% in the November/December 2020 exams. This is in contrast to the November/December 2019 exam when PSG Institute of Technology and Applied Research in Coimbatore secured a pass of 83.8%, the highest that year.

While a mere 57 colleges got above 50% pass in 2019, 400 of 411 colleges got above 50% pass in 2020, according to the academic performance released by Anna University on Saturday.

Experts say the results are not a true reflection of the quality of students and colleges and that they were boosted due to the unsupervised online exams conducted in July. After Anna University conducted a proctored online test in February, the higher education department ordered it to conduct a re-exam following complaints from students.

The results of the exam in the April/May 2020 semester were even higher as the government declared students of the first three years all-pass in view of Covid-19. As many as 30 colleges got 100% results and 412 of 441 got above 90% pass and only two colleges registered less than 70%.

Principals said the high pass percentage in 2020 will make more students eligible for campus placements in 2021-22. “Usually, we will have 60%-70% of final year students with all pass and be eligible for the screening process for campus placements. This year, we have around 90% of final year students eligible for campus placements due to inflated results,” a principal from a city college said.

R M Kishore, vice-chairman of RMK Engineering College, said the absence of an exam-like environment and unsupervised tests resulted in the surge in pass percentage, but added that that it will not impact campus recruitment. “Recruiters have their own screening process and will not consider semester exam marks while selecting candidates. They have their own recruitment tests,” he said.

Former vice-chancellor of Anna University E Balagurusamy said the results are not a true reflection of the performance of students and colleges. “Anna University should have avoided publishing these results on the website as it will mislead the engineering aspirants and public. The exams were not conducted in a proper form and it was mass copying. The 100% results shows the process of examination and evaluation is wrong. They should return to normal physical mode exams for next semester and if it is unavoidable, they should go for proctored online tests,” he added.