Action against BoE, says Mangalore University VC after question paper blunder

Mangalore University (MU) Vice-Chancellor Prof P S Yadapadithaya on Tuesday assured that disciplinary action will be initiated, within a fortnight, against the Board of Examiners (BoE) who had created a blunder in releasing the question paper and had supplied the question paper of the first semester for students of the second semester BBA Kannada exam here recently.

The BoE has six members.

The members were informed about this decision at the MU’s Academic Council meeting held at the new Senate Hall in MU campus on Tuesday.

‘’Action will be taken as per the examination manual of the university and the process is initiated. Steps will be taken to ensure that such incidents do not repeat. The university has zero tolerance towards such incidents,’’ he said.

Registrar (Evaluation) Prof P L Dharma said that it is the responsibility of the BoE to set the question papers for each subject. After the question papers are set, they are handed over to the Registrar (Evaluation) section in a sealed envelope for sending it to the printing press. From the printing press, the question papers reach the authorities in a sealed cover. Later, this is sent to each college on the day of the examination.

The VC said that a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the exam process will be prepared by the university. Already, there is a SOP which will be further strengthened to overcome existing loopholes. A committee has also been constituted to take remedial steps, the VC added.

Prof Yadapadithaya said that action will be taken against evaluators for erratic valuation of answer scripts. If there is more than 20% difference in the marks obtained by a student who had applied for revaluation, then he/she will be eligible for total reimbursement, he said.

The expenses incurred during revaluation will be recovered by deducting it from the teachers’ remuneration, he said. ‘’A warning letter will be issued. Earlier, 50% of the fee was reimbursed if there were 10% differences in marks obtained during the revaluation,’’ he said.

Dasara holidays

The Vice-Chancellor said that Dasara holidays for the UG and PG students of the Mangalore University, covering colleges in DK, Udupi and Kodagu districts will begin from September 29 and the classes will reopen on October 6.

‘’There was a demand to declare holidays for 15 days. There is a uniform academic calendar followed in the state. The holidays will affect the academic calendar,’’ he said. The holidays will be given for students as they are announced with the condition that valuation of answer
scripts aren’t affected, he added.