DC Exclusive: Anna University relaxes arrears rules for engineering students
Chennai: To address the concerns of engineering students, Anna University has decided to allow students under 2017 regulations to write arrears (reappearance) immediately following semester exams.
The academic council of Anna University which met here on Monday approved these changes and it would come into immediate effect once the Syndicate of Anna University approves them.
According to the new changes, the students will be allowed reappearance immediately following the semester. They also would be permitted to appear for exams in which they failed in the previous semesters without a maximum credit limit.
“To give more opportunities to students to clear their arrears, the academic council has decided to allow the students to reappear in the subsequent semesters. There will also be no maximum credit limit in the semester,” said M.K. Surappa, Vice-Chancellor of Anna University.
Students should pass all papers in first semester
He added that if a student who failed to clear a subject in the first semester, would be allowed to reappear for the subject in the second semester itself.
As per 2017 regulations, Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) was introduced in affiliated engineering colleges during 2017-18. Under this system, students who failed in the theory course could only reappear along with regular students when that course was offered the next time. It meant that if a student could not clear a course in an odd semester, he or she could only reappear for the exam when the course was offered next year.
Further, the total number of credits that a student was allowed to register per semester could not exceed 36. However, to improve the quality of engineering education, the university plans to introduce a new rule from the next academic year.
“The students who don't have any arrears in the first semester alone will be allowed to study in the fourth year or seventh semester. The students need to clear all arrears in the five opportunities. This is to ensure a minimum quality,” Professor Surappa said.
Opposing the reappearance rules, engineering students across the state protested at several places including in front of Anna University's main campus on January 18.
The affiliated engineering colleges witnessed a steep decline in their November 2018 semester results and the students feared they could not finish their course within four years under the existing regulations.
After holding discussions with senior academicians and the board of studies, the standing committee of Anna University suggested changes in the 2017 regulations and the university has convened an academic council meeting to discuss the issue.
Sources said the academic council also approved the open day revaluation for the students studying in the university departments. “To bring transparency in the revaluation, the answer scripts would be re-evaluated in front of students. It would be applicable only to the students studying in the four campuses of Anna University including College of Engineering, Guindy, Madras Institute of Technology, Chromepet and Alagappa College of Technology,” sources added.
What do 2017 regulations say?
As per 2017 regulations, Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) was introduced in affiliated engineering colleges during the last academic year. Under this system, if a student could not clear a course in an odd semester, he or she can only reappear for the exam when the course is offered next year. Also, the total number of credits that a student is allowed to register per semester cannot exceed 36.
