Additional moderation marks issue may generate heat

By K. Ramachandran

CHENNAI, JUNE 20. When the Madras University Syndicate meets on June 22 to decide on many academic and development activities for the coming year, it will also need to face two issues that have been troubling the administration for some time now.

As per the meeting's agenda, the Syndicate will decide on the next phase of proposals to be sent to the UGC under `Centres of Excellence' scheme, some new courses and next year's development activities.

But, the university administrators can expect some heat to be generated on the `additional moderation marks' issue concerning the October 2000 B.E examinations.

After receiving complaints from students and managements of self- financing colleges about many failures in six papers in the B.E examination, the Vice Chancellor formed an expert committee headed by the Director of Technical Education. It recommended the grant of five to 15 ``additional moderation marks'' to candidates concerned. The Syndicate in April resolved to grant upto 20 additional marks in one subject, provided a student passed in other papers and qualified for a degree. With many Syndicate members opposing the move, the decision was withheld and the colleges were asked not to give effect to the same. The matter will come back to be reported to the Syndicate.

The other issue pertains to the tabling of an inquiry committee report against two professors, who were suspended on charges of ``disrupting the proceedings of a Senate meeting in November 1999''. When a legal dispute about their Senate membership was on, the two professors, Dr.Maa Selvaraasan and Dr. Govindasamy entered the Senate meeting hall. This led to a ruckus and meeting was adjourned. Later, the two teachers were suspended.

A litigation ensued and the High Court directed that the disciplinary proceedings against them to be completed soon. A retired bureaucrat was the inquiry officer. Two months ago, the inquiry ended and report finalised, but it is yet to be tabled.

The Madras University Teachers Association, to which the two teachers belong, complains that three new charges were made out against them during the disciplinary proceedings. They see the move as an effort to ``victimise them in a political battle among teachers'', because of their affiliation to MUTA. The Association has a record of having gone to court against the university on four different issues, including the posting of an IAS officer as Registrar, the grant of 0.5 per cent marks for B.E candidates two years ago, and the allowing of new branches in some engineering colleges. Several academics now eagerly await the Syndicate's decision on future action against the two teachers.

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