Mahatma Gandhi University fines kick up row

KOCHI: The practice of MG University imposing a substantial fine on those who fail to submit marks of internal assessment within the due date has caused heartburns among a section. A fine of Rs 500 is imposed on each student, and when it comes to hundreds of students in a college, it comes to a heavy sum. “There are instances where some colleges were forced to pay a fine of Rs 6 lakh to the university,” said an official.

When this issue was brought before Syndicate members, they brought it in the last Syndicate meeting as an out of agenda item. According to a Syndicate member a decision was taken to reduce it to Rs 250 for a college but the registrar of the university failed to record it in the minutes following which it could not be implemented.

There are allegations that the vice-chancellor using his powers is giving exemption to some colleges. When contacted, vice-chancellor Dr Babu Sebastian said no decision was taken on the issue at the last Syndicate meeting. “Though one or two Syndicate members raised the issue, nobody put it on record. There is a procedure to bring such matters before the Syndicate meeting which was not followed and hence no decision was taken and hence it did not find a place in the minutes,” the VC said.

He said publication of examination results on time had got derailed because of the delay in submission of internal exam marks. “The decision to impose fine was taken by the Syndicate itself months before, and the teachers responsible were asked to pay the penalty. The VC, exercising his special powers, issued orders to reimburse 50 percent of the fine only for the first semester in the case of the 14 erring colleges recently, with a warning not to repeat it. From 58 erring colleges, the number has now come down to four, which shows the positive impact of the measure,” Dr Sebastian said.