New Delhi: The issue of granting grace marks to unsuccessful MBBS students in Assam has snow-balled into a major controversy.
On Friday, a row broke up between the Gauhati University and its Chancellor, Assam Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Ajai Singh, over granting of grace marks to 12 of 14 unsuccessful final MBBS examinees of 2005.
The 14 failed students had petitioned the Governor on January 2 requesting they be awarded grace marks.
The Governor had indicated that he was "satisfied that sufficient material exists for consideration of award of grace marks" endorsed their application.
However, the Controller of Examinations, said that the Examination Committee before which the matter of
appeal from the candidates was placed "decided that no grace marks be allowed to any candidate of the MBBS examination at this stage".
The Controller of Examinations had informed the Governor on January 2 that the Executive Council had "opined that once the results are declared, the question of giving grace marks does not arise".
On January 24, the Chancellor had instructed the Vice-Chancellor to convene a special session of the Executive Council to look into the matter.
Following the special session on February 2, the Vice-Chancellor had informed the Governor of the Executive Council's acceptance of the findings of the University's Standing Committee of Academic Council and Examination Committee.
The Committee's findings were that review of marks or award of grace marks in the same examination could only be given by subject specialists or external examiners.
The Committee had reasoned, that the review of marks by "other non-specialised person" could cause "serious damage to the whole examination system and the University will fail to command the confidence of the examinees and the people at large."
A February 14 communication said, the Governor "exercising his competent jurisdiction in the capacity of the Chancellor of the Gauhati University under sub-section 9 of Section 3 of the Gauhati University Act, 1947, direct the award of grace marks".
Leaving out two of the 14 applicants, Lt Gen Singh decided how the grace marks were to be awrded to the rest and accordingly instructed the University.
The University's Executive Council on Friday, however, decided to "prefer an appeal" before the Governor to reconsider his February 14 order which should be made "in the greater interest of the university and the people at large".
The Raj Bhavan sources said on Saturday the Governor was out of the state now and was expected to return on Sunday.
Welcoming the Executive Council's appeal, the Gauhati University Teachers Association (GUTA) has urged Singh to "concentrate more" on solving the problems faced by the University such as getting Central University status and a substantial financial package for it.
The Junior Doctors Association of the Gauhati Medical College Hospital has termed the Governor's order as a "black chapter' in the history of medical education.
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