Dramatic scenes were witnessed on Friday on the premises of the Department of Pre-University Education (DPUE) with student wings of political parties joining the protest started by other student organisations. The fourth day of protests – the biggest yet – saw protestors collapsing, some breaching the police barricades and parents getting into heated arguments with DPUE officials and even cops.
Aggrieved students and parents streamed in since morning under the watchful eyes of a large contingent of police who were regulating entry and exit into the premises. Despite this, police had a tough time keeping the crowd that managed to get inside the premises under control.
With student organisations, armed with slogans and flags, nearly taking over the proceedings, genuine students, who had come to resolve their grievances, were locked out. When they finally managed to get inside, they were asked to submit their applications for the photocopies, re-evaluation and re-totalling at Bangalore One centres.
This drew some criticism, with some parents complaining about how they had to stand in queues along with those who were there to pay electricity and water bills, among others.
Parents association approaches Lokayukta
The Parent’s Association has sought the intervention of the Lokayukta over the confusion in Pre-University results. After a formal complaint was lodged by Chairman of the Association Mulahalli Suri on Friday, Lokyukta Y. Bhaskar Rao instructed the PU Board to correct the errors and submit a compliance report by May 30.
“It could have been avoided”
Did issues with the results have to be blown up to what it is now? With both students and presspersons complaining about DPUE officials being unresponsive, Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Ratnakar said, “I advised the Director (Sushama Godbole) to try convincing the public at large, and not just journalists.”
However, he defended the results, saying not only were they the best in over a decade, but also the least number of results were withheld – 147 (3,500 in 2012, 800 in 2013, and 550 in 2014).
Saying it was too late to reduce the fee for re-evaluation, he said it could be considered for the next year.
In 2009, re-totalling cost Rs. 200, photocopying Rs. 300 and re-evaluation Rs. 750. In 2012, it was Rs. 280, Rs. 420 and Rs. 1,050, respectively. As of now, it is Rs. 336, Rs. 504 and Rs. 1,260.
Unites politicians
Like every big event, the protests against “discrepancies” in the II PU results saw politicians make a beeline to the venue. Friday saw the Who’s Who in State politics stream into the DPUE. And to everyone’s surprise, they presented a united picture at the end of it all.
It started with former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy from the JD(S) visiting the department. He was followed by BJP’s S. Suresh Kumar and the AAP’s Ravikrishna Reddy.
After discussion with DPUE officials, the trio, along with several others, were convinced by the department’s defence. Mr Suresh Kumar said that last year, only 1,379 of the 19,700 applications for re-evaluation yielded better results.
