Students of SG Women’s College stage a protest outside their campus alleging anomalies in their second-year exam results. Picture by Uttam Kumar Pal

Bhubaneswar, July 26: Degree students of SG Women’s College, Rourkela, staged a protest outside their campus alleging anomalies in their second year exam results published on July 19.

Now, the authorities of Sambalpur University, to which the college is affiliated, have decided to hold a special examination in English for these students.

The students claimed most of the 330 candidates of the arts stream who appeared for the exam have been awarded single-digit marks in English and another optional paper, while 105 have been failed. The results of another 20 students are withheld.

“We approached the Sambalpur University authorities a few days ago, but were sent back without any assurance of help. How can a student, who has secured 70 to 80 marks in the honours subject, get zero in other subjects? There is obviously some mistake in evaluation. The special exam will prove that,” said Rajalaxmi, a second-year student.

Subhashree, a final-year student, said teachers should check papers meticulously as the “faulty results” could affect many careers. “This shows that evaluation is done in a reckless manner,” she said.

College principal Banani Ray said she had spoken to the vice-chancellor of Sambalpur University today, requesting him to consider the claims of the students.

“One-third of the total examinees failing is something that had never happened earlier, but since the university does not have any provisions for rechecking, I requested the vice-chancellor to help my students in whatever manner possible,” she said. The controller of examinations of Sambalpur University, Manas Ranjan Pujari, said a committee was looking into the matter.

“The statutes of the university debar revaluation of papers. However, an urgent meeting of the university syndicate was convened regarding this issue today and it was decided to conduct a special exam in the compulsory English paper for arts but it will not be obligatory. A student can appear for it to improve her marks. However, if a student secures more than what she got in the previous exam, the extra marks would be awarded finally,” he said.