End of road for 57 BE students
By Yogesh Avasthi | Nov 6, 2016, (Ahmedabad Mirror pg one) http://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/ahmedabad/cover-story/End-of-road-for-57-BE-students/articleshow/55267589.cms
Gujarat University’s last ditch effort to allow 82
Bachelor of Engineering (BE) students to clear their backlog for the nth time
seems to have met with little success. Only 25 of the 82 students cleared the
examination. This after being granted 15 grace marks and a question bank
uploaded on the varsity’s website for their benefit. But the perennial
defaulters, most of whom are in jobs now, haven’t learnt their lesson.
Year after year, these students have been attempting to
clear the final BE examination for the past nine years, but with no success.
After 12 to 15 attempts, GU allowed the never-say-die students one last attempt
to appear for the examination in June. Sources in the Education department said
that the 25 students who cleared the examination were granted 15 marks, the
maximum possible. Besides there was pressure from syndicate and other members
to clear these students. GU officials have said they won’t conduct anymore
exams for the 57 students who have not cleared the exam.
A source in Gujarat University said, “Their exam was held
in June. The results were out last week. Only 25 students cleared the exam,
while the bulk of them failed. Despite being favoured unduly, only a section of
the students cleared the exam. This is a bad situation.” Despite huge fees of
Rs 5,000 per subject charged from them, the students chose to pay and sit for
the exam. Jasmine Patel who has been appearing for the exam since 2007 still
doesn’t know if he has cleared the exam or not. Patel said, “The university
charged Rs 5,000 per subject from us this time and told us to write as much as
possible, which we did, but the varsity does not want to pass us.” GU
Vice-Chancellor M N Patel said, “Maximum 16 marks can be given as grace. We
gave them 15 marks, but only 25 students went through. As per AICTE (All India
Council for Technical Education) rules, this four-year course (BE) can be at
most extended up to eight years. They have breached this deadline. Now, we
won’t take their exams.”
HOW IT ALL STARTED
The 82 students first appeared in the BE examination in
2007 when Gujarat Technological University (GTU) was yet to be formed and GU
conducted the exam. Even after GTU was formed, GU continued to conduct exams
for those students who were in the middle of the BE course. Gradually, most
students cleared their backlog except the 82 students who were to clear
multiple semesters in June. Eighteen students had to clear semester 1and 2; 26
students were stuck in semester 3; 22 in semester 4; 26 in semester 5; 29 in
semester 6; 28 students in semester 7 and 27 in semester 8. Finally, of the 82,
25 managed to get through with GU’s push. For the others, it is the end of BE.
