Negligence spells disaster for students

The paper called Reading Gandhi at Delhi University seems to be riddled with bad luck. Mallica Joshi reports.

The paper called Reading Gandhi at Delhi University seems to be riddled with bad luck.

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After 16 students of Dyal Singh College who had opted for it were taught the wrong paper, a large number of students failed to complete the exam due to negligence on part of the university administration.

Students said when they initially got the question paper it clearly said that the exam was for 50 marks and was to be completed within 2 hours.

According to students and teachers, at around 11.15 am —15 minutes before the exam was supposed to have originally lasted — an announcement was made telling the students that the paper was for 100 marks and was to last 3 hours.

“By the time we got the notification, a majority of students had already left. We decided not to allow the remaining students to write the extra question as it would have been unfair,” said Vinita Chandra, a teacher at Ramjas College, where 60-70 mathematics students sat for the exam.

Over all, 400 students have been affected.

Reading Gandhi is a paper offered in lieu of the qualifying language examinations. It is also offered to mathematics students.

But the university administration said that no major delay was recorded.“The students want to get the benefit of moderation in marks and that is why they are blowing up the issue. We had informed the colleges — around 6 to 8 of them — of the modification by 10am,” said DS Jaggi, controller of examinations, DU.
He also said that the faux pas was made by the department of Political Science as they had set the paper.