Red marks show on new Presidency University results

The second-year results were not different — 26 failed while 36 were promoted on the condition that they would have to take the papers again next year and pass.

The 193-year-old Presidency College was upgraded to a university in March this year. But these undergraduate students had sat for their exam under Calcutta University last year. Vice-Chancellor Amita Chatterjee,who joined in November first week,declined to comment when contacted by The Indian Express. With the results,fingers are being pointed at the declining standard of teaching at the institution,considering that several of the students who have performed badly had fared decently in Higher Secondary. Chandrani Sarkar,a first-year English Honours student who will have to repeat in the same class,scored 94 marks in English in Higher Secondary. “I have been crying for the past two days. The results cannot be so bad,” she said. She aggregated 67 marks both papers this time. In her department,only five have managed first division marks.

Also repeating class will be Debjani Sarkar,a first-year student of Philosophy department. Debjani,who scored 68 per cent in Higher Secondary,has got 40 marks in the first paper and 21 in second. “My professors say I was not prepared enough. I want to see my answerscripts,” she said.

Her professors may be right,but the blame also lies on teachers,say academicians. “I must say Presidency College at one point had outstanding teachers but now there are substandard teachers and they cannot attract students to attend their lectures,” said Amal Mukherjee,former principal. Mukherjee said like other mediocre institutions,most students are dependent on public tuition rather than classroom lectures.

A group of alumni,who met Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee just after the institution was upgraded to an university,complained that about 50 per cent teachers are “substandard”. One of them,who was a member of the delegation said that the CM’s reply was: “It should be more than that.” Incidentally,the CM was an alumni of the college. Politics too has played its role. In the past decade,transfers and appointments have been done allegedly on the basis of favouritism. The CPM-backed teachers association was well looked after. A large number of posts were vacant till a suitable “partyman” could be found. As a result,many renowned teachers left the college.

According to the last edition of the official college magazine — ‘Prasangiki’ — of the sanctioned 224 posts,only 158 teachers are working.

Imanul Haque,who taught Bengali,was transferred from Presidency to Chandenagore College in Hooghly in 2003. According to him,teachers were transferred for not following the dictates of the CPM-backed teachers’ association.