If a student has a doubt regarding valuation, the university has provided the facility of procuring photocopy of the answersheet. After the receipt of the answersheet, students can get it verified in a systematic manner and can challenge the valuation. This system is being applied since long. Surprisingly, colleges tell students that Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) has stopped providing the facility. On the other hand RTMNU says, the facility has not stopped. Recently, ‘The Hitavada’ came across one such case where a student sensed some doubts in the valuation of some of his subjects in examinations he wrote. The student got lesser marks than expected. The student dissatisfied with the retotaling approached college seeking photocopies of answersheet. One clerk told the student that he would not get photocopy of answersheet because university has stopped the facility. The disappointed student approached ‘The Hitavada’.

 

When this newspaper contacted Principal of the college, he too shared the same information according to which university no more provides photocopy of answersheet. On the contrary, Director of Board of Examinations and Evaluation of RTMNU Dr Praful Sable said, “RTMNU has never stopped providing photocopy of answersheet to the students. It is giving on demand. Students apply for the photocopies and we provide them.” If university has no problem in providing the photocopy, why the colleges are saying no? Dr Gauri Shankar Parasher, ex-Pro Vice Chancellor of RTMNU, during whose tenure, examinations and results were streamlined, said, “Right now most colleges are running sans approved teachers.

 

They may have fear that their deficiencies of non-approved teachers get exposed. In case marks increased, the questions would be raised about the credibility of valuation.” On its website, the RTMNU has put a letter on display that says, ‘Steps for Applying for Photo Copy of Answer Sheet’. When university has displayed this, it has clearly indicated that students would get the photocopies. RTMNU in its letter that is on its website made it clear, ‘The request for supply of xerox copy of the answer book(s) is an additional facility made available to the candidates. Therefore, and delay in sending photocopy of the answer book(s) due to reasons beyond the control of the university, shall be confer any right upon the candidates for admission to the next higher class. The applicant or the examinee being the sole custodian of the procured photo copy of the answer book, shall not be entitled to transfer the same to anybody for any purpose whatsoever as the same are supplied to him for his/her personal reference alone. If the applicant or the examinee is found guilty of any misuse of the photo copy he shall attract the provisions of Section 32(6)(a) of Maharashtra University Act and shall be liable for the award of punishment ranging from cancellation of performance at the concerned examinations with debarring him/her from appearing at further examination(s) to confiscation of his/her degree(s) conferred.’

 

 

An officer of the RTMNU on the condition of anonymity told ‘The Hitavada’, “The procedure to procure a photocopy of answersheet is lengthy and takes quite a good time if one applies either through the college or directly to the university. Contrary to this process, students can get photocopies much faster if they opt to apply under the Right to Information Act (RTI).” Why it takes so late if one goes through the university process than through the RTI is a mystery. Most students go the RTI way to procure photocopies of answersheets.