Repeated flaws in JU geography dept results may ruin students' dreams

An entire batch of students of geography and environmental science at Jahangirnagar University is facing hurdles in applying for jobs and higher studies abroad because of a sloppy examination controller's office, which has twice published their honours results with flaws.

It is preparing to publish the results for the third time now.

The 38th batch, of 75 students, took the honours final exams in May-June 2013, and the results were published on February 10 last year, the students told a press conference at JU Journalist Association office on Thursday evening.

In a statement, they said, "Based on the results, we've applied for jobs at government and non-government organisations.... some are preparing for viva voce.... some have applied for higher studies in foreign universities."

But one year later, the results were suddenly republished, on January 28 this year, they said.

On condition of anonymity, an exam official told The Daily Star that the staff preparing the results made mistakes in writing the letter grade in consistent with the mark. The errors came to notice when the results were verified before the 5th convocation held on February 5, he said.

A statement detailing the discrepancies in the two results shows that the grades of eight students fell in the second result sheet, while those of seven others remain unchanged. Five students failed.

However, mistakes remained in the second sheet. Two students found mismatches in their CGPAs in the copies of the second result sheet -- one sent to the department and the other kept at the exam controller's office.

Shirin Akter, who saw her grade falling from A- (CGPA 3.64) to B+ (CGPA 3.46) in the second result sheet, applied for a review and discovered that her CGPA was actually 3.61. "When I saw the drop in the CGPA, I doubted it," she told The Daily Star by phone.

Addressing the press conference, another student Krishna Proshad Mandal said six students were ready to travel to the UK, Canada, Japan, Russia, and China for higher studies but the mismatches might lead to cancellation of their admissions.

"We are facing the same problem in our career, as the results we submitted do not match the results written on the provisional certificates (provided after the results were republished)," he added.

A three-member review committee was formed on February 12 to evaluate the republished results and asked to submit a report in the next 15 days but it is yet to come.

Head of the committee, Prof Amir Hossain, said their work was done, and the final results might be published in a week.

The students, however, demanded that their first results be retained because based on those they have applied for jobs and higher studies, and any mismatch will put them in trouble.

They also threatened to besiege the administrative office on April 8 if the results were not published by April 7.

Registrar Prof Abu Bakar Siddique said punitive measures would be taken against the persons responsible on the basis of the review committee's report.