It is being believed that to cloak the disastrous impact of semesterization on the performance of students, the DU administration has resorted to irrational inflation of marks which has put a question mark on the credibility of our results and will result in devaluing of the degree. The new moderation formula has worked against all students thus having the teachers at DU exercised over this marks scam.

The marks scam has purportedly happened at three levels:

(i) Meetings were held in many Departments to unofficially decide a reduced syllabus for setting exam papers. The question papers were made as easy, the format of the exam papers was changed giving students maximum chance.

(ii) The examiners were instructed to mark leniently.

(iii) The last straw on camel’s back was to moderate all marks by the same token. Earlier moderation was case-wise. This time, blanket moderation was done, without a prior and proper tabulation of results, and analysis of the same.

Nandita Narian of the Maths Department at St. Stephen’s College, who was also an examiner, tells how earlier in the meeting in the Maths Department, the syllabi were unofficially reduced and later there was imminent pressure from the DU Exam Branch to mark students leniently.

The proposal to semesterize the postgraduate courses was passed in Academic Council meeting of February 2008 and the decision was implemented from July 2009. The results of postgraduate courses, which have not been tampered by the DU administration to that extent, reconfirm the opinion that the semester system works against the inclusion policies. The failure rate has increased in the postgraduate Departments as students with disadvantaged backgrounds fail to cope in the semester system.

These issues have also been highlighted in the Memorandum of Protest by the examiners of the History department who have written to Dr. Jaggi, the Controller of Examinations saying that this “ we protest against this un- academic way of moderating results that has diluted academic standards and has made a mockery of the evaluation process undertaken seriously and sincerely by us.” and the memo was signed by 14 examiners of the same department.

Click on the following links for more information

Moderation Patterns in DU Final Exams- By Abha Dev Habib

Memorandum of Protest _History

In a recent development, teachers from the Department of Economics and the Department of Germanic and Romance studies have filed protests in the office of the Controller of Examinations against these apparently bloated results. The results in the Economics (H) exam went up to as high as 99% and in the Germanic and Romance studies exams to 96.6% and 86.6% in the respective papers

“We strongly protest against this un-academic way of moderating results that has diluted academic standards and has made a mockery of the evaluation process undertaken seriously and sincerely by us,” the letter reads.

These reports have been confirmed by Saikat Ghosh, DUTA Executive Member who goes onto explain that the crux of the problem with these results lies that they have been moderated to such an extent that they have not been deemed correct and thus is in fact detrimental to the faith placed in the result evaluation procedure of DU.

He expounds that usually, the moderation as a process is a meticulous and intricate one, which involves the tabulation of marks in the primary step of the evaluation ladder which is followed up with identification of the ‘border- line’ cases. Once the red- ink separates these results from the hordes of the other scores, the marks that these particular exam- takers had secured in their Internal Assessments is taken into account and if the student is found worthy of a couple or more of grace marks, then they do get added on to his or her result. It is not a blanket formula, applied to all and sundry, something that the results this semester end seem to contradict. Also the principle for moderation has to be adopted by the Academic Council of the University of Delhi and only then is credence accorded to it.

As Mr. Ghosh informs us, the issue with the moderations this time has been that the tabulation had never been done and the teachers seem to have been told to moderate results freely by the Controller of Examinations, Dr. Jaggi, who in turn has passed the buck onto the Vice- Chancellor saying that the order had indeed come from higher quarters. “We have ample reason to believe that the results have been fudged” asserts Mr. Ghosh.

The DUTA has demanded an impartial probe into this matter and will adopt a resolution regarding the same in its General Body meeting on 31 January, 2012.

M Vishnu Vardhan
vishnuv@dubeat.com 

“The department is yet to take any steps”, Prof. Bal Kishan Das, the HOD of Mathematics of Delhi University was quoted saying. “The issue is on record of the university and they are looking into the matter. The department heads can only report things to the university, they can’t take any further steps.

“The department is conscious of the students’ requirements and demands. I had personally assured the students that they will not have to suffer. But they seem to have lost their cool.”

On asking the reason why the teacher hasn’t turned up 3 weeks into the semester, he said, “The teacher seems to be having some issues with the department. But I had mentioned this earlier as well that these things should be sought out as a different issue altogether”

Everybody is supposed to perform their specific duties, which they are, except for this particular teacher. Every time the issue was brought to notice, the department took cognizance of the situation and came out with a solution. There was a little gap, yes. But ultimately something was done to fix the problem.”

Another protest outside the VC’s office saw a strength of around 200 students of the third semester of BSc Physical and Life Sciences. The students demanded an inquiry into the semester results where 73% of the students had not cleared the exam. The students were accompanied by the DUSU President, Ajay Chhikara.

“The result has been extremely poor. Only 22-23% of the students have passed. And what is surprising is, that the students whose results showed that they had passed till morning, the website suddenly showed them as ‘failed’ by the night. This clearly goes to show that the results have been regulated. Therefore, we are protesting against this”, said Ajay Chhikara.

He further said, “The same problem had occurred last few times as well, with this very course. The syllabus is quite heavy and has not been moderated according to the semester system. I also feel that more importance and priority was given to the first semester results as the university wanted to show the success of the new ‘semester system’. And because of this the second years have been neglected, which can have a heavy impact on their futures.”

Additi Seth
additi@dubeat.com 

However, according to The Daily Pioneer, since extensive construction work and repairs were going on Sri Venkateswara College, classes were put on hold. Moreover, timetables came up on the notice board only by the 9th of January. In fact a complaint had been dispatched to the VC by the student’s union regarding delay in the conduction of classes. The Daily Pioneer also quoted Amit Yadav, President of the college student union as saying that he couldn’t fathom how the vast course under the semester system would be completed with such few days of classes further reduced because of the ongoing construction.

This however is not the end of the story. The Principal of Sri Venkateswara College, Dr. Hemalatha Reddy took umbrage at this report by the Daily Pioneer. She issued a letter to the Editor of the newspaper informing them that the timetables had in fact been put up on the 2nd of January and classes had commenced from that day itself. She also mentioned that the renovation work was happening only in 4 classrooms, alternatives for which had already been provided for. In an extremely surprising turn of events, the letter also contained Amit Yadav’s denial at ever having been questioned by Ms. Rohini Singh; reporter of the Daily Pioneer who authored the aforementioned infamous article. He maintained that he had only received an SMS from her saying she wanted to interview him but never got in touch with him after that communication. View the letter at http://www.svc.ac.in/page282.html

Obviously the Daily Pioneer would not take this lying low. In an article dated January 17, the Daily Pioneer reported that although the Principal said that classes had only been postponed by four days and would be covered up on holidays; many teachers had raised objections to repairs bring carried out now. They thought it wiser to do the same in the summer break. According to the Vice Principal however, it was necessary to start the work in the winter break, since the funds for the OBC expansion given by the University lapse after March.

It seems as if fissures are just continuing to widen and this new controversy shall only serve as an impetus for the same.

Urvi Gupta
urvig@dubeat.com 

Deutsche Bank visited SRCC campus on January 2, 2012 and invited candidates from SRCC, St. Stephens and LSR. The speaker of the day was Mr. Amit Bordia. The profile they offered was that of an analyst in the investment banking sector (domestic placement). Fortunately, there was no cut-off stated by the company to decide the eligible applicants. The package was an astounding figure of 10.5 lakhs + 3 lakhs + bonus (yearly). This pay package ranks as the highest so far in the brigade of dream companies with others like Bain offering 8.3 lakhs p.a and McKinsey giving 7.5-9.3 lakhs p.a.

50 students from SRCC were shortlisted for the final round of interviews which took place on January 7, 2012 at the Imperial hotel, Janpath. Out of these 50, 6 applicants (all from SRCC) got through and were offered placement in the Mumbai centre of Deutsche bank. The remarkable league which got through is – Mehak Nanner, Vijendar Aggarwal, Jennifer Sung, Chinmay Golecha, Tanvi Agarwal and Mayur More. With its 100% cut off, and 99% Economics Honours first semester toppers, SRCC surely continues to set newer and higher benchmarks. The dynamic students, who got through, help reiterate the same.

Mannat Sandhu
mannats@dubeat.com 

They recruit graduates and young professionals to teach in the Low Income Schools – both government and private. These young volunteers are required to work full time and for a minimum of two years. They are also given separate classrooms to teach.

Their work includes connecting to different communities as the children come from various backgrounds. Those from the low income groups also include the slum dwellers and labourers, etc. In their second year of work, the volunteers have to identify community-related issues, such as cleanliness, and work on them, along with the teaching.

Elisha Patel, who is a graduate from St. Stephens, works with the organization currently. On asking him about his experience so far, he says, “It is a very unique experience. Although there is minimal training, the progress is fantastic. There is a lot of hard work that goes into it, apart from the planning and the time spent on it. But the outcome is always satisfying.” Elisha is teaching in an MCD School where the children are provided with free education. The school is located in Majnu Ka Tilla which is at a walking distance from Delhi University North Campus. The children attending this school are those of labourers, cycle-rickshaw pullers, pani puri walas, road side vendors, etc.

One of the major upcoming events of the organization, Redraw India, is being held from January 12 (South Campus) to 13 (Arts Faculty, North Campus) in various Delhi University colleges. The event is basically for spreading awareness about the need for providing education across all borders and communities. The event also has competitions and many other things lined up. Some of these are: Tweet for education, Photo Competition and Gallery, Live photos, March Against Educational Inequity and others.

Additi Seth
additi@dubeat.com 

Continue watching this space for photo coverage from Redraw India.

The demands written in the petition include: Continue the system of re-evaluation and rechecking of exam papers; Any academic reform should start from evaluation of the existing annual system, its benefits and weaknesses and to devise a system which specifically redresses those weaknesses, Keeping the interest of students and teachers in mind. Whether the solution will emerge from within the annual system or a different one (semester/trimester etc) cannot be pre-decided; Ensure a sustained improvement in infrastructure and share the details with teachers and students and show transparency; Improve infrastructure and student teacher relationships to ensure that dreams of lakhs of students who come to DU every year and create an efficient education system in the varsity.

The petition, compiled and posted on the internet just before the first semester exams kicked off, has received about 107 signatures so far. The number might be small but the students behind it are still hopeful to get more support. Talking about the reason behind such a response of the students, Ankita Rastogi from SRCC, the student who’s leading the campaign, says, “The response from students has been decent considering their brief stay in the University. The petition was uploaded just before the first semester exam due to which students were not quite aware of it, post that there were holidays during which the petition got the bulk of its support. But then the first semester results doused the petition since the students were overwhelmed by their inflated marks. The results made the semesters so attractive to everyone that students under the annual mode regretted not being under the semester system, totally ignoring the cutthroat competition this is going to create amongst students. Besides, such inflation of marks indicates the foul play the university has indulged in to push through the semester system smoothly, how else can you explain 99% marks in Economics and that approximately 20% students in the University have secured above 95%? If we assume the checking has been efficient and correct, then why were the question-papers sub-standard?”

The fact that the petition has been compiled by a group of third year students who do not even have to bear the system sounds surprising. But that’s where they decided to take up the responsibility so that students don’t have to bear the brunt in their fifth semester. She states, “The reason why we consider it our responsibility to oppose a system we are not under is because we’re able to see that the University is getting away with all the illegalities it is involved in due to the fact that the student fraternity is unaware, fragmented and self-involved. The time by when all students will realize the ill effects of the system it might be too late to do anything. Therefore we consider it important to stir students out of their ignorance so as to create solidarity against a system that may not benefit them in their future. But the reason that made me prepare a petition before my exams was that perhaps by the time students begin having problems with this system they will be rendered absolutely helpless.”

“In their fifth semester, when students will be preparing for entrance exams, that will clash with their semester exams. Would they be able to sacrifice an entire semester in a system of such strong meritocracy? What will students do when in subsequent semesters the course load increases and they are not awarded marks generously and they don’t have the option of re-evaluation with them?”, she questions.

Their next step would be to officially submit the petition to the Vice Chancellor of the University, after they have gathered enough support. They also plan to file it in court if the University fails to deliver. “The whole objective of this petition is to roll back the system till the University brings in a well thought out, democratic and transparent semester system,” she adds.

Here’s the link to the online petition:

http://www.change.org/petitions/the-vice-chancellor-university-of-delhi-roll-back-the-semester-system

Shweta Arora
shwetaa@dubeat.com

The DU time (table) warp. PHOTOGRAPH: Sapna Mathur

The introduction of new timetables at the beginning of a semester, while an integral feature of the system, however, has been the source of much inconvenience for the large percentage of the student body that still functions according to the annual calendar. Due to the re-structuring of teachers and syllabus according to the University-specified semester modules, annual students in LSR now find themselves flummoxed at having to change their timetables and teachers as an unpleasant side-effect.

“As if it wasn’t bad enough that they compartmentalized texts into capsules to be swallowed, this sudden switching of teachers and schedules is especially jarring as it strips our subject of consistency”, says a second-year English student of Lady Shri Ram College for Women, who wishes to remain anonymous.

Second and third year students of arts and text-intensive courses, including English, History, and Political Science are perhaps not wrong in their resentment at having this arbitrary measure inflicted upon them, especially since the benefits of the semester system (most notably, that of the uncharacteristically high marks) elude them. 

Teachers, too, while sympathetic with the plight of the affected student body and in concurrence with the disjointed quality it imparts to the flow of study, have expressed inability to rectify the situation. Apart from the sudden mid-year changes for the annual students, it has also resulted in further pressure on Heads of academic departments to re-structure the schedules for all three years.

The general outcry appears to be that the official stance of the University may be touting the success of the semester system, but in its zeal to reform and revolutionize the system of education, the DU administration seems to have lost focus on the academic well-being of the annual students.

Under the revamped system, it has been said, the students will all be engaging with courses of general studies for their first years and then choose their fields of specialization for their second year course. In case a student, due to reasons whatsoever, wishes to drop out following the second year, they shall be awarded a diploma if they go in for skill- based subjects. In case they wish to leave college after their third year, a general degree shall be presented and on completion of all four years, the student will receivea specialized degree equivalent to the present-day honours.

Rajesh Kumar Jha, faculty member of the Political Science Department at Rajdhani College, also a member of the Delhi University Academic Council has said that this is a move which needs to be contemplated on and deliberated on with great detail. He believes that the move, though not to be completely rubbished at this embryonic stage, is one that displays great hurry on part of the University decision-makers to force through reforms on the existing system of education.

With the semester still at its infancy, replete with teething problems, this new decision to introduce a whole new system just two years after the semester system begins functioning is a little precariously poised, many think. Some are of the opinion that this may be looked at as a ploy on the University’s part to somewhat Americanise the education scenario here, as it’s known publicly that the graduation courses offered in the USA are extended over a period of four years. However Mr Jha comments that the job market in the nation is not conducive for absorbing 20 year olds with only diplomas unlike the West, which seems well equipped to do likewise.

Another compelling concern seems to be regarding the rate DU appears to be throwing the spate of reforms considering that the systems in place have been functionally successfully for decades now. It sill needs to be determined why there is such a pressing need to change the three year undergrad course into a four year programme, the lateral effects of which may be felt on the post-graduate courses too which are as of now compatible with a system of three-year UG courses.

Commenting on this issue also gets tough because neither the official blueprint for this system, nor the official communication explaining the terms and conditions for this proposed makeover have been made available, even to the members of the Academic Council. Even  as Prof Singh’s comments in today’s newspapers commented on the growing demand of Sanskrit students and academicians in Germany and elsewhere and how the new system would enable the Sanskrit (H) students to be able to excel in their own fields and simultaneously learning how to reach out to the West with their indigenous knowledge,, the Head of Department for Sanskrit  of Delhi University, Prof Mithilesh Kumar Chaturvedi, denied any knowledge of this proposal’s existence and declined further comment until official communication would be delivered to him.

While Prof Singh comments indicate that a similar credit system would be put in place to empower the students to get transfers to foreign Universities, the actual method to do so has been kept in the dark.

As DU experiences the first results of the uniform semester system, much chaos has been afoot, with RTI’s being filed and students being appalled and teachers flummoxed at the result; the worry remains whether the proposed change into a four-year course will also lead to a fluctuation in the method of academic course from among the choices of the annual mode or the semester mode.

Amidst all this, today’s statements seem highly unclear being unsubstantiated by official sources as to the clarity of the objective. Teachers and students alike are now waiting for the Vice Chancellor and his team to un-fog the future with some swift planning and set the wheels in motion for subsequent debates.

M Vishnu Vardhan
vishnuv@dubeat.com 

The Mathematics results were declared on 31st December, while those of Physics and Chemistry were declared on the 2nd day of the new year. The colleges that have performed best overall are Hans Raj, Hindu, Miranda House, St. Stephen’s and Maitreyi.

A student of Hans Raj College has topped Physics honours with a 92%, with the overall result of Hans Raj itself being the best. Close contenders were Hindu College, followed by St. Stephen’s and Miranda House.

For Chemistry, the highest score is again a 92%, obtained by a student of Hindu College. The top colleges for Chemistry are Hindu, Hans Raj and Miranda with only Sri Venkateswara in South Campus that has managed to come close. Mathematics Honours saw a highest score of 98%, a New Year’s Eve delight for the Maths departments across DU that have been struggling to improve results over the past two years. The topper belongs to Lady Sri Ram College, however the best overall result was yet again bagged by Hans Raj College.

The subject saw a remarkably good set of marks being obtained by South Campus students as well, with JMC, Gargi and Sri Venkateswara in the lead. While a considerable number of students have performed exceedingly well in these subjects, there are also substantial number who would be required to take some exams again.