COIMBATORE: How fair the outcome of a test would be when the question paper set by a woman professor has her husband appearing as an examinee?
This is the poser academicians are seeking an answer to from the Mother Teresa Women’s University, which conducted the State Eligibility Test (SET) on March 4 last. What has set the cat among the pigeons is the fact that the question paper setting panel for the SET had on board the head of Commerce Department at Bharathiar University, M Sumathy, whose husband G Venkatesan was one of the candidates.
While the university has scotched all allegations of nepotism, saying that no single professor would be aware of the final question paper, irate academicians and candidates have sought an inquiry by State government and the UGC.
Mother Teresa Women’s University in Kodaikanal conducted the Tamil Nadu State Eligibility Test for assistant professorship on March 4. For the commerce question paper, M Sumathy was on the panel of five professors roped in by the university to set the question paper.
While it was not clear whether Venkatesan had cleared the paper, it emerged that he opted Coimbatore as center despite mentioning Lakshipuram South in Karur and his permanent address. Both Venkatesan and Sumathy were not available for comments.
When contacted, Mother Teresa Women’s University Vice-Chancellor G Valli said that they had looked into the issue. The question paper was set by a panel of five professors from different universities.
“We got 100 questions each from each professor and pooled it to form a question bank consisting of 500 questions. After removing previous year questions, the university selected questions for this year’s SET. There is no chance that any professor who was part of the panel would know about the SET question paper,” she said.
However, not buying the university’s explanation was advisor of The NET SLET Association S Swaminathan, who said, “We have already moved a court for reexamination as paper-I questions were repetition of previous year’s NET. Now, we will bring this issue to the knowledge of the court.”
“During semester question paper setting, universities will ask an undertaking saying no blood relation will be writing the particular examination. Even if it was a few questions, it gave an edge to a particular candidate.
“The Mother Teresa Women’s University should conduct a reexamination. Apart from this, the departmental enquiry should be conducted and appropriate penal action taken,” he demanded.