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Marks for "Present, Miss"
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Twenty vital marks that make a difference to your final tally have college students trying every means to earn them. VIJAY GEORGE finds that regular attendance and assignments can fetch those marks and bunking classes is on the wane
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Pics. by Johney Thomas
BUNKING CLASSES was fun, wasn't it? Especially in the afternoon, and when it's history lessons, reminisces one amused guy, with that faraway look in his eyes. "And the noon shows... ..hm... college WAS fun..," chips in another, both busy target-watchers in the marketing field. But today, bunking classes isn't quite in. Why?
In an attempt to enable Generation Next focus more on studies, various universities, since five years ago, introduced the practice of adding some marks based on the performance of the students in the classrooms, mandatory.
This means that 20 marks out of 100, will be allotted to students in the `degree' classes (25 for post graduate students) on their performance in various areas during regular class time. Of the 20 marks, four marks each will be for attendance, assignments and seminar. Each of the two test papers will have a maximum of four marks, which makes the total of twenty. For P.G. (post graduate) students, five marks for each category is given.
Undergraduates with an attendance of 90 per cent scores a maximum of four marks, while students with an 85
per cent attendance score three marks. Two marks are given to students with 75 to 84 per cent attendance while a lower turnout of about 50 per cent have to be content with a single mark.
"This attempt has been quite a success," feels Dr. N. Ajithkumar of Cochin College. "Now students attend classes regularly and are more focused on their studies. As the whole procedure is explained to them at the beginning of the year, the students are aware about what they should do to score maximum possible marks on this ground. In fact, from their perspective, they can aim for a good percentage by scoring well in the process," smiles the Economics professor.
The students almost completely agree with the teachers on this. "With these internal marks, it's pretty easy for students to score. Even those who are irregular in the classes can get some solid marks in each paper," says Juby T. J., a postgraduate student.
"Perhaps even more than the students, the role of teachers tends to be crucial in this system. The evaluation of students should always be done carefully, as is being followed now. This process has been successfully implemented in other universities and has been a welcome addition to our system ," says Prof. A. Varadarajan of the Physics Department in Sacred Heart College, Thevara.
His analysis has found wide approval from most teachers. On the flip side, a lecturer reminds that there is scope for controversy, if a student feels that a teacher has deliberately reduced the marks due to him.
"He can approach the Head of the Department, or the Principal who will hand over the issue to a committee and if the issue remains unsolved, it will finally be decided by the University," according to a college staff.
Shreya Varma of S.H.College, Thevara, believes, "Our teachers award the marks that one really deserves," while Savitha Moorthy, an M.Com student in the same college and a popular television anchor, considers this method, "as a short cut to earn some good marks, if you are a fairly regular student." She agrees that her singing assignments affect her attendance and, "makes the crucial difference between the marks that I could have scored and the marks I get." Asks a doubtful Shemin Joy, former chairman of Maharaja's College students union. "If all the students get almost the same addition to their marks, what is the purpose of it? Now students do get at least 10 per cent more marks than what they used to get, say, some six years back. Does that mean that the academic standard has improved dramatically in these years?"
Some of the students have raised doubts whether the assessment is made strictly on merit.
"How can you label a student as perfect, depending on these aspects alone? What is being done for developing their skills other than just academic? Everyone is forgetting about his or her creative skills. I firmly believe that learning cannot be confined to the four walls of a classroom," argues Shemin.
"The internal marks are displayed on the notice boards. So there is no question of it not being transparent," clarifies a professor, while stating that it is worth giving a thought on why the prevailing academic system does not produce more who perform in national level tests like the civil services, for instance.
"The system has brought in a sort of discipline to the atmosphere in the colleges. That is a definite plus point," says Isaac Paul of S.B. College, Changanacherry.
According to some , the suggestion to ban politics in many colleges was a result of this new system . A union member in one of the colleges had reportedly claimed that he did not have the required attendance as he was engaged in various union activities. The college authorities did not consider it to be a valid reason. But many have found ways to beat this system too! "Usually the teachers do not raise their heads until the attendance roll is completely read. A few artful dodgers just disappear after their presence is made sure in the attendance register."
Under the strict condition of anonymity a student reveals. "Some of them trick with fake leave letters and some others who are into organising activities, convince their teachers that event managers could never be expected to limit their skills within their respective classes!"
In riposte, a teacher clarifies, "In genuine cases, we accept leave letters. Like, I had given some concession to a student who was offered a job, by the employer, on his father's death, as his family was dependant on this boy. If I hadn't done so, he would have discontinued his studies. I am proud that he passed out with really good marks," she says with a satisfying smile.
Well, at the end of the day, it is such `marked' smiles that matter. And the marks that get the smiles matter the most.
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