VC clueless why he withheld MA mass comm results!

Can a university's
vice chancellor remember one direction but conveniently forget another order he signed on the same date? Well, it
happened at Nagpur university.

In an example of gross shoddiness, Nagpur university vice chancellor S N Pathan has denied any knowledge of MA mass communication results being withheld as per his directions.

On Tuesday, Pathan told media persons that he didn't know why MA mass communication first semester results were withheld and second semester examination put on hold by the university. He admitted that exams of Bachelor of
Journalism (BJ) were deferred on his instructions, but that he was not aware of fate of MA examinations.

However, the controller of examination (CoE) Devendranath Mishra had a different version to tell. "The directions governing the examination leading to degrees of both BJ and MA courses were framed under 11/2008 and 12/2008 of Maharashtra Universities Act, 1994 at the same time on the same date, June 19 last year. They were also shown to the vice chancellor at same time," he told TOI.

When asked to comment why the VC had said he was not aware of the MA mass communication results being withheld, the CoE expressed ignorance, stating that "there might be some confusion as MA exam is already over."

Mishra, however, said that he had appealed to Pathan to find out a solution on mass communication imbroglio, especially for the BJ course, at least a week before the examination starts on May 11.

"Conducting an examination is a long and tedious procedure and with over 700 examinations to be conducted across six districts, it becomes even more cumbersome. We need at least seven days to distribute hall tickets, question papers and decide on centres," he said.

When asked when the problem would be solved, Mishra said it was up to the deans, Board of studies (BoS) members, university bosses and other experts to find an alternative solution to the issue. Pathan could not be reached for comment.

The university on Saturday had put on hold the MA mass communication first semester results and second semester examination after TOI in its April 23 edition exposed its double standards. The TOI report revealed that that on one hand, the university deferred the Bachelor of Journalism (BJ) examination as colleges including its own department failed to fulfil UGC norms. Whereas on other hand, it had conducted exam and practicals of newly-introduced MA in mass communication course coming under same faculty in March.