More than half the students of Delhi University who took the B.Sc. (Physical Science) second year paper this May have failed.
The results, which were declared earlier this week, have shocked the teachers and students alike. “It is so shocking, we have never had this sort of results before,” said Dr. Sanjay Kumar, who heads the B. Sc (Physical Sciences) Department at St. Stephen's College, adding that of his 16 students only ten managed to pass.
Most affected students are worried about having to repeat the entire course.
“I had already started preparing for my CAT exams and the consequences of repeating an entire year will affect my whole life,” said a student, adding that the ambiguity in the whole process of examination had added to his troubles. “Our exams were held at the end of May, we got the results in August, we will get our mark-sheets only after 15 days and nobody knows when and if we will be able to give our papers for re-evaluation.”
Some students allege that they were clueless about the change in the exam rules. “Earlier, we were allowed to carry forward failed subjects, now we have to repeat the whole year…even our teachers were not informed of this,” said another student, not wanting to be named.
Repeated enquiries at the information windows on examination procedure had come to naught, he added. “I asked them what were the guidelines for passing and whether it is true that we have to repeat the course and they just said that they don't know anything.”
The outstation students are the worst sufferers . “I come from Allahabad and it is so expensive staying in the city without hostel accommodation, we have appealed to the authorities to allow us to re-write these exams or carry them forward,” said a student who had failed in two subjects.
Some of the students sat on a dharna outside the Vice-Chancellor's office on Monday who has promised to look into the matter.
Deputy Dean for Student's Welfare, Mr. Vipin Tiwary, has spent the past few days hearing out worried students. “We try to be as considerate as possible, but all we can do is sympathise with them,” he said.
The Dean of Examinations, Prof. R.C Sharma, who also heard out the students, said: “They have given me a presentation and I will look into the matter.”
