Probe on against lecturers for refusing valuation

On the basis of a complaint by Calicut University Registrar

The Deputy Directorate of Collegiate Education is conducting an inquiry into a complaint from the University of Calicut that lecturers belonging to premier colleges affiliated to the university were refusing to value examination papers.

“We received a communication towards March-end from the Collegiate Education Department for inquiry into a complaint filed by the Registrar, University of Calicut, against some 30-odd teachers who have allegedly refused to accept answer sheets for valuation,” P.K. Sobhana, Deputy Director of Collegiate Education, said on Tuesday.

She said the university’s complaint had the names of at least 10 lecturers from four colleges within Kozhikode city itself.

Teachers deny charge

The Deputy Director said the teachers, responding to the inquiry notice, had so far denied the allegation of the university that they had refused valuation work.

“I have asked the lecturers to give individual explanations on this complaint. So far they have all denied the charge,” the Deputy Director said.

However, sources in the Deputy Directorate claimed it was usually the Controller of Examinations, and not the Registrar, who had the authority to file such a complaint from the side of the university.

“The inquiry report will be sent to the government for any further action,” Ms. Sobhana said.

“There are several problems regarding valuation which have not been addressed. Primarily, there is no equal distribution of work. Some colleges get the bulk of the answer sheets and others do not get any. Secondly, the university allots work haphazardly to far-flung colleges, and this causes unnecessary delay in completing valuation work. The university has to change all this before blaming teachers,” a college lecturer, who did not want to be named, said.