Panjab varsity results spark concern as pass rates plunge under NEP

So far, the university has released results for a few courses for the exams held in December 2024, with many still awaited

Panjab University’s (PU) release of first-semester results under the new New Education Policy (NEP) framework has triggered concerns among educators statewide, with many describing them as disappointing and chaotic. The pass percentage in several undergraduate courses has dipped sharply, raising questions about the readiness of the university, its affiliated colleges and students for the sweeping changes introduced under NEP.

Educators blame the poor performance on a combination of reasons, including rushed implementation, lack of clarity, and increased academic burden. (HT File Photo for representation)

In the four-year BCom programme course, only 4,731 students passed out of the 10,514 who appeared in the exams. Similarly, in BSc fashion designing course, just 172 students cleared the exams out of the 317, while in BSc biotechnology (Hons), only 143 passed out of 237. So far, the university has released results for a few courses for the exams held in December 2024, with many still awaited.

Educators blame the poor performance on a combination of reasons, including rushed implementation, lack of clarity, and increased academic burden. Varun Goel, a faculty member at LR DAV College, Jagraon, and executive member of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU), pointed out the confusion over pass criteria. “Under NEP, students need a 40% score to pass, whereas earlier it was 33%. Since this was the first time such exams were evaluated, there was a lot of misunderstanding around this change, which affected the results.”

He also highlighted that both students and teachers are still struggling to adapt to the NEP’s demands. Principal Gursharanjit Singh of SCD Government College added that the number of subjects per semester has jumped from five to eight, stretching the curricular requirements of students beyond limits and pushing exam dates further, which has led to fatigue and frustration. He suggested that exams for value-added and multidisciplinary courses should be conducted at the college-level to avoid such delays.

Jagwant Singh, former PU senator and part of the NEP committee, said the structural changes brought by NEP, including revised syllabi and exam patterns, have directly impacted classroom time. “Extended exam schedules are eating into teaching days. Since the senate has been dissolved, there is no mechanism for ground-level feedback. This disconnect has made the implementation shaky,” he said, adding that the system may still take a few years to stabilise.