Jadavpur University has stopped issuing admit cards to students before exams, triggering a protest by a section of teachers that fears the identity of the candidates will no longer be a secret.

Instead of issuing the cards, the university has prepared a list of the names of eligible candidates, with their class and examination roll numbers. The list for the semester exams that began last Saturday was put up two days before.

“In the new system, the students will not have to waste their precious study time waiting in long queues days before the test to collect their admit cards,” said registrar Rajat Banerjee.

But the teachers — excluding members of the CPM-backed Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association (Juta) — have dubbed the system “faulty” as it exposes the examinee’s identity.

“Since the names, class roll numbers and the examination roll numbers are displayed, it is easy for a teacher to identify an examinee. Ideally, an examiner should not have any clue about the names of the examinees,” said a teacher who did want to be named.

“In the new system, an examiner can victimise a student he does not like or grant undue favours to one he likes,” said another teacher.

Earlier, there was no scope for the examiners to know the names of the candidates. The admit cards, issued by the controller of examinations, mentioned only the test roll numbers of the students.

“Only the controller’s department was privy to the examinees’ names,” said a teacher.

Banerjee, however, ruled out the possibility of the new system leading to malpractice. “Teachers will not take any advantage of the system. Still, if a student feels he has been victimised, he can always challenge the examiner’s decision.”

Juta’s Keshab Bhattacharya said the association would decide its stand next month. Students said they were too busy preparing for the exams to think about the new system. “We will think about it later,” a student said.