The higher education department has reported that 14% (equivalent to 72,051 students) of the total students who appeared for the UG examination did not pass in two subjects, while 21% (totaling 109,112 students) failed in more than two subjects during the academic year 2022-23.
Acknowledging the unique circumstances generated by the Covid-19 pandemic affecting students’ studies in the academic years 2020, 2021, and 2022, the higher education department has taken this initiative. Dr. Shailendra Kumar Patel, Registrar of Pt Ravishankar Shukla University and a member of the eight-person committee established by the state government to address this issue conveyed that the committee has agreed to the university ordinance’s suggestion, which makes students who have failed in two subjects eligible for supplementary examinations. It is important to note that this measure is a provisional arrangement strictly applicable to the 2022-23 academic session.
As per the prevailing regulations, students failing in one subject have the opportunity to take supplementary exams, while those not passing in more than one subject are required to retake the entire examination.
Professor Sachchidananda Shukla, Vice Chancellor of Pt Ravishankar Shukla University (PRSU), expressed, “All universities have informally concurred with the proposal put forth by a significant number of students who were unsuccessful in their undergraduate examinations. Subsequently, the state government instituted a committee that has conducted multiple deliberations on this matter. The committee is anticipated to reach a final verdict on this issue within the next day or two. Personally, I am of the belief that students should be afforded this chance. Given the pervasive repercussions of Covid-19 across all domains, including education, students are still grappling with the aftermath. Philosophically, I propose this adjustment for a year, but not for an extended duration.”
This provisional adjustment is a response to the recent transition from online mode examinations, which were held for a three-year period due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, to offline mode examinations. This shift has considerably impacted examination outcomes, as indicated by the Vice Chancellor.
Notably, universities like Pandit Ravishankar Shukla University, Hemchand Yadav University Durg, Bilaspur University, and Raigarh University have reported relatively weaker performance.
While the prevailing regulations governing graduation studies and examination protocols in state universities stipulate the availability of supplementary exams in a single subject, an impending amendment to these regulations is set to broaden the scope of supplementary exams to encompass two subjects. In the context of PRSU’s annual examinations, a total of 125,463 students were enrolled in the three-year graduation program. Among them, 48,925 students achieved passing grades, while 50,767 students faced setbacks. Out of the 48,925 students who did not pass, 24,542 students, having failed in one subject, were granted permission to take supplementary exams.
A comparable pattern emerges in other state-run universities such as Durg University, Bilaspur University, Sarguja University, Bastar University, and Raigarh University, where approximately 80,000 students encountered challenges in two subjects during this academic year.
Prior to 1986, students taking PRSU examinations were permitted to sit for supplementary exams in two subjects; however, subsequent regulations introduced a change in this provision.