Agartala: Students of Maharaja Bir Bikram College and Bir Bikram Memorial College here staged protests for two hours after claims that 95 per cent of those who wrote the first semester examinations had failed.

Aggrieved students gathered in front of the office of the controller of examination at Maharaja Bir Bikram University, a state-run university set up in 2015 under which the colleges are affiliated, and demanded a "review" of the answer scripts.

The university authorities in the evening agreed to review all answer papers. "We have notified that all papers, in which there was discrepancy, may undergo review. We are committed to do the best for our students. But they are the ones who will have to study," controller of examinations Jyoti Prasad Debbarma said.

Sushmita Saha, a humanities student, said they wrote the first semester papers last year. "We were informed the results would be announced today (Tuesday) but when the marks came out, nearly 95 per cent students were declared to have failed. Those who expected to get 70-80 per cent have barely passed. It could be said we did not study if a few of us met this fate. Ninety-five per cent have failed," she claimed.

She alleged that a few students who failed in all four papers in the exam, qualified for the next semester, baffling those who were held "back" with low marks in two papers.

Subham Choudhury, a student of Bir Bikram Memorial College, claimed the question pattern was changed and marks of internal exams were not added to the semester exam results. "They changed the syllabus frequently and new patterns were imposed. Now, they have announced results without adding the internal marks," he said.

Debbarma denied that 95 per cent students had failed. "The figures might be a bit less. The students have got more exams ahead to adapt to the new system. This is not the end," he claimed.

He said the university had adopted a choice-based credit system according to the UGC guidelines. "This might have led to the fall in pass percentage. However, we did sensitise all colleges about the new system and pattern of exam," Debbarma said.

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad's (ABVP) Agartala unit leader Prasenjit Chakraborty said the results were a testimony to "one more historical mistake" in the state's education system.

"Among 1,228 students, who wrote the first semester exams in MBB College, only six passed in all subjects. This is ridiculous," he said. He appealed to education minister Ratan Lal Nath and chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb to intervene and ensure safety of the students' future.

SFI state secretary Nabarun Deb said he was also shocked with the results.