A new year started and we all geared up for new resolutions, new classes, new clothes and food and, of course, new places to hang out at with friends. But wait, the results also started pouring in amidst all the good things. While we were cosily tucked in our homes for the winter vacation, spending our days dreamily, the danger of results loomed large. Oh how we all dread them! With Delhi topping the list for the most competitive city for the fourth consecutive time, according to the finding of India City Competitiveness Report 2013, we can all safely assume that we, in DU, more than just care about our results. In fact, after checking our own marks, we instantly start wondering how much the class geek has scored or whether our friends have scored more or if the cool dude of the class has even passed. So, now that most of the results are out, it’s time to sit back and analyse them.
As the new batch of Four year Undergraduate programme (FYUP) got their results, many believed that the scores are highly inflated. When asked about her thoughts about the DU results, Sonali from SSCBS responded that there was “too much leniency…. (this) makes you wonder at the level of education being imparted”. But when asked if it was done deliberately to make people appreciate the FYUP system she said it was “propaganda… (this) is not just happening with FYUP. It happened last semester too.” Similar thoughts were echoed by Aawan from Venky, “We have foundation courses that have made the percentage go up”. Others agree that this year the results have been higher than the past standards of the university which might give the students a false measure of their intellect and calibre. Some of them are mourning the fact that 55% of marks are given internally for which they have to be in the good books of the teachers, something not everyone is capable of doing. Whatever the sceptics may say but some people actually believe that the FYUP system is not as bad as it is made out to be. Despite the fact the students have to study such subjects which are not going to be of any use to them, the presentations and projects, besides being easier, also involve them more.
But of course, all the hype about high scores cannot make one deny the flaws inherent in the system, which seeks to pacify the opposition against it by awarding outrageously good marks as incentive. After all, polished marks cannot substitute polished knowledge, however much your scorecard says so. Nonetheless the FYUP system is here to stay whether we like it or not, though we would surely like to hope that at least reforms are brought in to redress the situation as giving out high marks to compensate for a shallow learning experience is not helping anybody, not in the least the students. As for the system itself, going by the VC’s frequent mood swings, only time will tell how long it is going to sustain itself.
