Kerala - Kannur   

Uncertainty over grading system continues

Staff Reporter

Even as first year degree classes at Kannur University start on July 30

KANNUR: The Kannur University’s plan to introduce the grading system in undergraduate (UG) courses from this academic year itself looks gridlocked in polemical postures of rival teachers’ unions loyal to the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) on whether the time is ripe for implementing the system in the university alone.

The impasse has come after the respective boards of studies have completed the process of modifying the curricula as part of the plan. Though the university authorities have stated that the introduction of the grading system hinges on a policy decision in this regard by the university Syndicate and the newly constituted Higher Education Council (HEC), the plan seriously pursued by the university to start the system from this year itself is now at the centre of the rivalry between the pro-Communist Party of India (Marxist) All Kerala Private College Teachers’ Association (AKPCTA) and All Kerala Government College Teachers’ Association and pro-Congress Kerala Private College Teachers’ Association (KPCTA) and the Government College Teachers’ Organisation.

The polemics over the question of introducing the new system from this academic year also involves the disconnect between the boards constituted during the previous UDF rule and the LDF Government-nominated Syndicate which has nominated AKPCTA/AKGCTA members in the existing faculties that have to ratify the boards’ decisions. The boards were instructed by the university to prepare the syllabi and evaluation system as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) guideline for implementing the grading system. The plan was to spare new students joining UG courses the embarrassment of studying under the old system of evaluation which was discarded at the Plus Two level. The plan to start the new system this year now faces deadlock due to strong opposition in the faculties.

“Though the pro-LDF teachers’ union representatives in the faculties raise various reasons against implementing the grading system from this year, their basic argument is that the HEC is studying the proposal to implement it uniformly in all universities,” says Balachandran Keezhoth, KPCTA State working committee member.

Each university prepares its syllabus and evaluation norms on the basis of its regional aspects and resources, he says adding that the argument favouring HEC nod amounts to denying the university its autonomy. The boards of studies have prepared the syllabi on the basis of the UGC norms, Dr. Keezhoth points out.

The AKPCTA/AKGCTA camp counters saying that the proposal to start the grading system has not been given the importance it deserves as it involves total curriculum change, including change in question paper structure, internal assessment system, and syllabus pattern.

“Grading system means the revamping of the university education system calling for proper research at university level before implementing it,” says N. Sajan, member, UG Faculty of Languages. The boards have only prepared a pattern of numerical gradation and not made any question paper pattern or elaborate restructuring of syllabi to be set for each module, he says adding that the university staff who have to maintain records of grading have not been given any training. The university should send a study team to the States where the grading system was implemented, adds Dr. Sajan.

The Kannur University has already made a head-start in its efforts to implement the grading system. The boards have been working on preparing the new curricula since 2005. “The Kannur University has already initiated various steps such as continuous evaluation as part of changing the learning process,” admits AKPCTA State president and university Syndicate member K. Kuttikrishnan. He, however, says that the grading system implemented in schools cannot be replicated in colleges.

“There is a wrong impression that the grading system is conversion of marks into alphabets,” says Dr. Kuttikrishnan adding that the model of grading system proposed by the boards of studies is nothing but such a conversion.

The KPCTA alleges that there is a bid to scuttle the efforts of the university to start the grading system this year. KPCTA member and UG Commerce Board chairman P. Musafer Ahamed says that the two-year efforts included discussions at various levels involving college managements, principals, teachers and students. “The boards prepared a grading model based on statistical principles followed internationally,” says Dr. Ahamed.

Even as the first year degree classes start on July 30, the uncertainty continues and the indications are that the grading system will be started only from next academic year.

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