THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala University (KU) has decided to conduct the re-examination of the 71 MBA students of the 2022-24 batch whose answer-scripts went missing from an evaluator’s custody, on two dates.
Candidates unable to appear for the re-examination on April 7 can do so on April 22, KU Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohanan Kunnummal announced after a high-level meeting of university officials on Tuesday.
“The Controller of Examinations had earlier announced that the re-examination would be held on April 7. However, students facing difficulties in writing the exam on that date will be allowed to appear on April 22,” the V-C said, adding that the results will be declared within three days.
However, a section of the affected students protested at the KU headquarters after the syndicate sub-committee on examinations insisted on re-examination. They said some of them had already secured jobs abroad and it was not possible for them to appear for retest at such short notice.
“The university sat on the matter for over two months. This is a grave lapse on its part. Our views were not taken into account while deciding on the re-examination dates,” alleged Arjun Madhu, one of the affected MBA students of the 2022-24 batch.
Meanwhile, the V-C issued an order to suspend the teacher responsible for the fiasco. The instructor is a faculty of the Institute of Cooperative Management (ICM), Poojappura, affiliated to KU. Further action, including permanently debarring the teacher from exam duties, will be taken after a hearing on April 4, sources said.
Admitting to lapses on the university’s part, the V-C said the examination mechanism will be overhauled to address such issues. He said until now, remuneration from the university and the day’s salary from the institution were not provided to the faculty of self-financing colleges assigned evaluation duties at centralised valuation camps. Such teachers take the answer-scripts home, he said.