THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a blow to the engineering education sector in the state, over 75 per cent of the students who wrote the third semester examinations conducted by the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) have failed, plunging the varsity’s results to a new low.
According to varsity officials, the state average pass percentage (24.05) in the third semester exams (S3) conducted in December 2019, was one of the poorest results recorded over the past few years. The low pass percentage has led to widespread protests from students, parents and college faculty who blame the varsity’s evaluation process for the poor result.
Faced with brickbats, KTU has undertaken a detailed analysis of the third semester results to drive home the point that the problem lies not with the examination but in the way academic activity is conducted in affiliated colleges. Compared to government colleges, self-financing engineering colleges have fared very badly in the third semester examination.
A self-financing college in Thrissur recorded the lowest success rate of 2.35 per cent. Another self financing college in Pathanamthitta presented 251 students for the examination but only 15 managed to pass, with a success rate of nearly six per cent. However, government engineering colleges fared better. College of Engineering, Trivandrum (CET) recorded a pass percentage of 62.91.
“A careful analysis of S3 results indicates that the low pass percentage is due to combined effect of multiple factors which are beyond the purview of the university,” said a top official of KTU who preferred not to be quoted. Institutions are expected to develop new teaching and learning strategies in third semester to tackle this issue, the official added.
Observing there was an increasing lack of interest in studies among students, the varsity official said engineering colleges need to re-orient students’ focus on academics. KTU officials have also ruled out awarding moderation for semester examination as demanded by the students and parents.
S3 RESULT FIASCO
Total students appeared: 55,863
Passed: 13,437
State average pass: 24.05%
Lowest pass: 2.35%
Highest pass: 62.91 %