They are calling it the case of the missing marksheets. Well, not quite literally. But certain administrative lapses in Delhi University and its colleges are surely jeopardizing some students’ prospects. These lapses involve marksheets, which still haven’t been received by enrolled students of the annual mode and re-evaluation results, both of which have dampened the future prospects of third year students in several colleges.

Take the case of Shanti Kapoor*, a History Honours student at a prominent college on campus. Her ordeal began with her second year result’s announcement, and continued until last week. Due to a discrepancy in her marks on the first marsheet she received, she was made to forfeit almost half of her third year.

She was disallowed to attend classes in the third year until she officially passed her second year, due to a re-evaluation result that refused to come out until mid-December. And even then, she was lucky to have found out through a friend who happened to chance upon a list on her college notice board. The authorities did not bother to inform her directly.
She says, “It was terrible. I was lucky that my friend saw my name on the list of re-evaluation results that were out. But that wasn’t the end; I had to complete so many more administrative formalities until I was finally granted re-admission. I had to waste more than half of my third year for no fault of my own, and the laxity of the University. I hope no one else is made to go through this.”

While hers is one of the exceptional tragic cases, an acute problem being faced by students since time immemorial is the late issuance of marksheets. While the results are declared by late July-early August, the marksheets come much later. This derails the aspirations of numerous students keen on applying for further studies abroad, as they don’t have the relevant academic credentials to demonstrate to universities for the process.

Says Vandana Sharma* of another well-known college, “We only received our marksheets for second year in December, by which time several deadlines were over. We had to get unofficial transcripts made from the college, and explain our plight to universities abroad. It was not pleasant.”
This issue seems to be another one of the several glitches that the University needs to fix before the start of the ambitious revamp of a 4-year degree next academic year onward.

*Names have been changed on request

Tanya Dua
[email protected]