Engineering students go on indefinite hunger strike

The students claimed that the controller of examination of UoP Sampada Joshi,besides other examiners,have not checked the examination papers correctly and that strict action must be taken against all of them.

In November last year,over 100 students had complained that their revaluation results for the exam held in May 2012 were wrong. They also stood the chance of losing a year if their marks didn’t increase. Keeping in mind the various complaints received pertaining to revaluation of engineering papers,a committee was formed under former vice chancellor Arun Adsool which then declared its verdict on January 28.

“We have not yet received our results for revaluation and photocopies of the examination held in May 2012. The fact-finding committee report had cleared the papers of 28 students. Despite that no thorough investigation was conducted,” said the agitating students.

Anikhet Khade,a third-year student,said that their revaluation results were announced after the fifth semester exams in December. “The university declared that our marks were unchanged. But when we received photocopies of answer sheets,we realised there were errors in paper correction. Some answers were not even corrected and the totaling was wrong. Since revaluation status said marks remain unchanged,the fifth semester exams will be considered nullified as we are not allowed to carry forward more than three backlogs. And hence we stand to lose a year,” said Aniket.

“There are still many cases of such incorrect and faulty checking of papers in Ahmednagar and Nashik. Despite several reminders to the varsity and other authorities,the UoP has failed to take the corrective measures,”said Vaibhav Nalgundwar,a second-year student.

On Friday evening,vice-chancellor W N Gade met the students and assured to look into the matter.

But the students refused to withdraw the strike. “I met the students along with the registrar and director of the Board of College and University Development and assured them that if there are discrepancies in the assessment of the papers,I am ready to consider another round of rechecking,” said Gade.

“But the students are yet to take any decision on ending the strike. We want the students to end hunger strike and talk to us about their problems so that we can solve them,” he said.