Mahatma Gandhi University in killing spree

Mahatma Gandhi University in Kerala is in a killing spree to derecognise some of it’s off campus centres and affiliated institutions. Latest in this direction is the suspension the recognition of Sreenikethan Off Campus Centre at Karamkode, Kollam dist, following the reported seizure of answer scripts of students involved in mass copying. Controller of Examinations Thomas John Mambara, along with other bigwigs of the University is all in a mood to end the widespread malpractice in the examination centres. However, no woman member is seen in the squad. Does it mean that women candidates are less vulnerable to misconduct or woman bureaucrats in the University are not plucky enough to spot out the miscreants in the examination hall?

I personally believe the action of Mambara and his coterie is against the accepted policy of the Kerala Education ministry. The Education Minister M A Baby is all the time taking huge effort to lessen the hardships of examinations and thereby to avoid mental stress of students. A student who puts only number of the questions in the answer script he or she is awarded full marks in the plus 2 examination. On the other hand Mambara and company's act is just opposite to it.

The laxity in conducting the examination has been created by school/college authorities. The teacher- assisted copying in examination hall is the feature of many new generation CBSE schools. No external invigilators are posted and if posted one he enjoys the hospitality of the school management and closes his eyes at malpractice. Is hundred percent result and that too all with distinctions in SSLC examination in Gulf countries, an indication of the fact that the sons and daughters of people in Gulf are more intelligent than their counterparts in Kerala? The invigilators posted from Kerala to conduct examination there always sit in a/c rooms enjoying gulf hospitality while examination goes as desired by the school authority. If one has still doubts then ask the government to conduct a narco analysis on those who had done the job in Gulf schools. All schools are in a competition mood in Kerala and hence they resort unscrupulous acts to get hundred percent results and that is essential for their existence. The students passed out from these schools view examinations in the manner of their experience and hence resulted in mass copying. The fault is not with the students but with the teachers of the institution and the University authorities who had given permission to bland agencies to run off-campus centres.

The action of Mambara and company send a wrong notion to the outside world that the degree certificates of the pass outs from M G University are not genuine. What we need is a fool proof method to ensure the genuineness of the examination system and not a dire practice at the end to ‘kill’ the students. Because of utter ignominy if a candidate ends his life will Mambara compensate for it? The alternative is this: Inculcate the importance of examination in the very beginning of curriculum. Examination should be conducted with external examiners and their remuneration should be given in time. Mass humiliation in the examination hall should not be taken as mean for getting more money as TA and DA to the University authorities.

K A Solaman