The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, has expelled 73 students for under-performance as they failed to secure the minimal Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5 in the first year of their BTech programme.
As expulsion of such a large number of students in one go created a flutter, the hands of the Human Resource Development Ministry remained tied as the parents of these students had undertaken at the time of their admission that their wards' poor performance could lead to their removal from the institute. “The number of students expelled by IIT-Roorkee on Wednesday may be a bit higher, but this not a new thing. Students are shown doors at most of the IITs for under-performance. This is the rule. The ministry can not interfere in such issues,” said official sources.
After their expulsion, many of the students have pleaded for “mercy”. IIT-Roorkee will decide on their prayers “as it deems fit”, said sources. The institute’s action, however, brought in the open a deeper problem IITs face in terms of getting quality students. Many IIT professors suggested that the change in the question pattern of entrance examinations brought almost a decade ago should be blamed for the situation.
“Earlier, IIT aspirants had to answer descriptive questions in the entrance test. This actually helped IITs select meritorious students,” an IIT-Delhi professor told Deccan Herald.
DH News Service