Around 34 students from Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Wagale Estate, failed their online objective exams as one of their teachers did an error during revaluation. The question paper was optical mark recognition (OMR) based
During the computerised evaluation, one of the teachers accidentally interchanged the sheets of some students during the two theory exams.
Students gave their first year examination on electrician and welding in July last year. When the results were declared in January, it revealed that 30 students got zero and failed.
When students interacted with each other, they realised that they were all in the same class while writing the exams. “We had two theory papers on electrician and welding – 1 and 2, while submitting the answers, the teachers mentioned the name of the exam wrong. In place of theory 1, he entered 2 and vice versa. As the computerised system recognises the correct answers in the objective paper, we all got zero,” said a student, who did not wish to be named.
Another student on condition of anonymity said, “We were shocked to see the result. Later, when we went to the exam committee, we realised that we were all in the same class for the exam and we all got zero. We realised the error and complained to the principal. We were first told to appear for the repeat exam, but that would mean losing a year. We opted for revaluation.”
{{/usCountry}}Another student on condition of anonymity said, “We were shocked to see the result. Later, when we went to the exam committee, we realised that we were all in the same class for the exam and we all got zero. We realised the error and complained to the principal. We were first told to appear for the repeat exam, but that would mean losing a year. We opted for revaluation.”
{{/usCountry}}SM Ambalkar, principal, ITI Wagale Estate, said, “We have appealed to ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship to consider the case as 34 students have failed. We are waiting for the response and are hopeful that the students will not miss out a year. It does seem strange that so many students have got zero hence we have requested for reevaluation.”
Students’ organisations have slammed the authorities. “Most students studying at ITI are from economically poor backgrounds, they cannot afford another year for no fault of theirs,” said Kiran Patil, city president, Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena, Thane.