THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Syndicate of Kerala Technological University (KTU) has decided to seek a clarification from 82 teachers on errors they committed in the valuation of seventh semester BTech examinations. The Syndicate also approved the report and recommendations submitted by the examination sub-committee on the conduct of examination and valuation.
After the first valuation of 2,08,226 answer scripts, 24,854 answer scripts were re-evaluated. Twenty four per cent who had failed in the first valuation cleared the examination during revaluation while a whopping 34.4 per cent received higher grades.
Initially, notices will be served to 57 teachers who evaluated the answer sheets first. The university, from this year, has introduced a conditional ‘review’ system for students who fail in both valuation and revaluation. Of 25 answer scripts that were submitted for review, students secured pass marks in 18 answer scripts. An explanation will be sought from the 25 teachers who have recorded a difference of 10 marks in the first two valuations and the review.
Supervisory committees consisting of senior teachers and headed by principals will be formed at the district-level for the proper conduct of examinations. The committee will make surprise visits to all examination centres. Faculties with at least three years of teaching experience will only be included in the committees for setting question papers.
The university will also make use of services of eminent teachers from prominent universities and national institutes of technology to prepare question papers. At least 20 per cent of all questions in all semesters will be prepared this way.
Academic activities will be stopped in colleges during centralised valuation. Along with the preparation of question papers, a precise and accurate evaluation scheme and a meeting of the faculties concerned before the start of the valuation process will be made mandatory.
An appellate committee with principals at its helm will be constituted to hear the grievances of teachers regarding the disciplinary action. Punishment awarded to teachers for errors in valuation will be factored in the academic auditing of colleges. The conduct of examinations, the examination manual and the affiliation manual will be extensively revised after taking into consideration the recommendations emerging in the meeting.
In the mass exam cheating case reported recently in colleges, the Syndicate has decided to file a complaint with cyber police based on the reports obtained from four colleges.
2,617 students were eligible for refund
The university rule says that the revaluation fee is refundable if there is a difference of 15 marks in two valuations. Thus, 2,617 students were eligible for refund of revaluation fee. In 627 answer scripts, the difference in marks was more than 25. There were 250 answer sheets with a difference of more than 30 marks and 30 answer sheets with a variation of more than 40 marks.