The Hindu : Karnataka / Mangalore News : Varsity promises error-free question papers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 19, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mangalore

Varsity promises error-free question papers

By Our Staff Correspondent

MANGALORE, MAY 18. Mangalore University has taken note of the errors in the question paper on "Indian Constitution, Human Rights, and Environment" for first year degree students of the university. It will take steps to ensure that such errors will not recur, according to the Vice-Chancellor of the university, B. Hanumaiah.

Addressing presspersons here at Mangalagangotri on Tuesday, he said such errors should not have occurred. The Chairman and Board of Examiners should have checked the proof, he added.

He said the university would consider the possibility of awarding grace marks to students. But he did not commit himself on initiating action against those responsible for the mistakes.

Indian Constitution, Human Rights, and Environment is a compulsory subject introduced by the university from the academic year 2003-04 for first year degree students. Over 23,000 students in colleges affiliated to Mangalore University appeared for the examination, which was held on April 19. The errors in the paper had baffled both the lecturers as well as the students.

But this is not an isolated case. Earlier, a question paper on "Basic Accountancy" for first year B.Com. students reportedly contained bloomers.

In a press release issued on April 23, the Registrar (Evaluation) of the university said the errors in the Basic Accountancy paper occurred as the Chairman of the Commerce Examination Board of the university had not read the proof of the question paper. The university would examine if it was possible to give grace marks to students who attempted to answer the questions in which there were mistakes, he said.

The Sociology question paper for first semester LL.B. students had questions related to syllabus prescribed for the second semester. The university postponed the examination.

In another case, the university postponed the Kannada examination for second-year students of M.Sc. (Information Science).

The authorities who set the paper reportedly chose questions from the first year syllabus of M.Sc. (Information Science). The Registrar (Evaluation) said only one student was to appear for the examination.

However, lecturers say that they have never witnessed such errors in questions papers set by the university. Referring to the errors in the question papers, the Registrar (Evaluation), K. Sooryanarayana Rao, speaking to a group of presspersons today, said the university had involved senior professors with over 25 years of experience to set the paper.

The university did not expect such senior persons to commit such errors, he added.

"A professor with 35 years of experience had set a paper. How can the university expect such a senior professor to commit such errors?" he said.

Mr. Rao said the university had sent the patterns of the question paper of Indian Constitution, Human Rights, and Environment to colleges on February 19. A model of the question paper had also been sent, he added.

Meanwhile, a senior professor who preferred anonymity wondered how such errors could occur when the proof of a question paper had to be checked by the members of the Board of Examiners and its Chairman. There should not be any error in any question paper, he said.

However, it would be the collective responsibility of the university and the Board of Examiners to ensure that the question papers would be free from errors in future, he added.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News Update

Stories in this Section

Drive planned against spread of filariasis

Varsity promises error-free question papers

Mangalore University promises error-free question papers

`Konkani Utsav' to mark decennial of academy

A feast in store for theatre buffs

Honour for Red Cross district branch

Left parties see conspiracy