HYDERABAD: The worst nightmare of students from colleges affiliated to the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University of Hyderabad came true after the external exam results showed that they secured zero marks in various subjects.
The results of JNTUH’s BTech semester exams that were conducted in September/October 2020 released recently and sent students in an immediate shock. The JNTUH office phones were buzzing with phone calls from petrified students on securing zero marks despite having performed well in the examinations.
Sources within the university have said there could be hundreds of complaints of a similar kind after the released results. However, an investigation into the matter was quickly ordered by officials to dig the root of it.
Director of Evaluation, JNTUH, Kamakshi Prasad said, “We have received complaints from three affiliated colleges stating that many of their students have raised an alarm over securing zero marks despite attempting the question paper well. So far, we have identified one evaluator who has done a faulty evaluation. We are in the process of scrutinizing further and investigating more.”
Speaking about his horrific experience, a final student of Malla Reddy Engineering College and Management Sciences, S Nikhil Kumar said, “I have secured 6.5-7 CGPA in last semester exams. To my surprise, I secured zero marks in maths 1 and maths 2 this time. It was unbelievable as I was confident of doing very well.”
Scores of students shared their dismay over the incident as many of them were bright academically and hadn’t expected to fail with zero marks.
Ryapaku Lal Reddy, another final year student of Spoorthi Engineering College, said, “I have secured 19 out of 20 marks in my internal exams. How is it possible that I secure a zero in my external exam despite writing all the formulas and solving enough questions.” This has been the case in every subject, including engineering graphics, applied physics, and even an easy subject like environmental science, which is more of a general one.
Sharing their own stories and discussing possible measures to solve this, students have now created WhatsApp and Telegram groups.
A second-year student from Spoorthi Engineering College, Sathwik Reddy said, “I attended tuitions to ensure that I don’t flunk in maths 2. I never expected to secure zero marks.”
NSU (National Students Union of India) has also stepped up to raise complaints about the issue to the university following the requests of many students who were sailing in the same boat.
The members of the student body have urged JNTUH to send the papers for revaluation without charging the students any money as there was no fault of their own.
Surprisingly, this isn’t the first time when the JNTUH released zero marks for dozens of students. Last year in November a similar incident took place when some students of final year engineering woke up to realize they had received zero marks in a few subjects, while others complained of discrepancies in their scores.
The University had told interested candidates to furnish Rs. 1000 per subject for revaluation or accept 0.15% grace marks. However, students were afraid that they might lose a year due to this if the revaluation to doesn’t bestow them the required marks.
