In a classic example of negligence and apathy, the Kerala University has misplaced Hindi examination papers of ten students of the Christ College from Vizhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram.
What is more bizarre is that the University on Monday asked these ten students to appear for the improvement exam that will be held on Wednesday. (The improvement exams are taken by students who want to improve their scores).
The examination papers that went missing are that of the first semester B.com (Tax) students. They are now studying in the fourth semester.
The University even failed to inform the students beforehand that such a lapse had happened, and the students discovered it accidentally.
Some of the students out of the ten had applied to appear for improvement exams in certain subjects. The students discovered that their names had been included for the Hindi improvement exams as well.
The students then met the Controller of Examinations and Deputy Registrar of Examinations on Monday who broke the news that ten of them would have to appear for the improvement exam.
“We were told that our examination papers had gone missing and the university was still searching for the papers. We were asked to appear for the improvement exam which is happening on Wednesday. We don’t need to register or pay fee to write the exam as it was the University’s fault. But how it is possible to write the exam in such a short notice? How can the University be so callous?” a student told TNM.
While other students got their results in the first week of March, the University withheld the marks of these ten students. In a class of 33 students, 18 have chosen Hindi as their second language.
“We made multiple queries and each time the University said that the results would be published soon. While the results of other students were published on the University’s website, we had to go to the University to ask about ours. When we asked why the Hindi marks had been withheld, we were told again and again that the Hindi result will be out soon. Now they want us to appear for improvement exams. We hadn’t registered for Hindi improvement exam, we were waiting for the result. How can they ask us to improve in one subject without publishing the result?” the student added.
The University had not bothered to even inform the college. “We came to know about it through the hall ticket. The students have approached the University and once they know the varsity’s stand, they will officially complain to us. If the University is going to make the students appear for the exam again, without publishing the result, we will move against it,” Christ College, Principal Meenakshi Ramachandran said.
University authorities were unavailable for comment.