E-Paper
JNU says students who took WhatsApp exams won’t be forced for a retest
New Delhi:
New Delhi:
The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration has decided that students who had already written their examinations in the alternative modes will not be asked to sit for a re-test in the regular way ‘against their will’.
The resolution was passed by the JNU’s Academic Council (AC) on Thursday even after the Board of Studies (BOS) of two schools ---School of Language Literature and Culture Studies, and School of International Studies — recommended cancelling the exams held through alternative modes and holding them through regular means.
Hindustan Times on Friday reported the JNU administration in its AC meeting on Thursday approved both alternative modes-- via email or WhatsApp —and regular mode of exams in a bid to complete the last semester. However, 12 out of 18 schools and special centres at the University had rejected the alternative modes.
The meeting was held after the Delhi High Court on February 4 asked the BOS of each schools and committees of all the special centres in JNU to place their recommendations before the AC on how the remaining classes of the monsoon semester and the exams can be conducted.
The court order came after some students and teachers challenged the university’s decision to hold the exams online to complete the monsoon semester that not be concluded in December due to the students’ strike.
Although the JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) on Thursday alleged the administration did not discuss the recommendations in the meeting, the minutes of the meeting stated, “In the AC meeting, all the Deans of the Schools and Chairpersons of the Special Centres presented the recommendations of their respective Boards of Studies/Special committees.”
The minutes, submitted by the administration to the Delhi High Court on Friday, stated, “The Schools and Special Centres that have adopted the alternative mode of end-semester examinations were permitted to award grades and send it to the evaluation branch. Those who had decided to conduct regular mode of examinations for 2019 Monsoon semester were permitted to do so.”
The Schools and Special Centres were directed not to ask students to reappear in examinations in the regular mode again in case they are not willing.
The JNUTA on Friday alleged the minutes of the AC meeting do not match with the recommendations submitted by the schools and the special centres. “No school or special centre had recommended asking students about their willingness to appear in the re-exams. Two schools had even decided to cancel the exams taken through alternative modes. It clearly shows the resolution was passed without discussing the recommendations,” said DK Lobiyal, JNUTA president.
Atul Sood, a faculty member and a petitioner against the alternative modes, said the AC’s resolution will create “chaos”. “Students in the same class will now be evaluated through different modes and with different levels of coverage of the syllabus. The December exams through alternative mode were taken on the basis of the syllabus covered by that time. However, now exams will be conducted through the regular mode, covering 100% syllabus.”
Aswini Mohapatra, Dean of School of International Studies, however, said he was approached by several students who were not willing to appear in the re-test. “Although the Board of Studies of our school decided to cancel the exams taken through alternative modes, many students were against the decision. So, the AC’s resolution is in the interest of such students,” he said.
The minutes stated that 14 out of 74 AC members, who were present during the meeting on Thursday, registered their dissent.
