JNTUH Orders Re-evaluation of Papers in Autonomous Colleges Due to Marks Inflation

Autonomous Status at Risk for Colleges Ignoring Guidelines

Engineering students in Hyderabad may have their marks reassessed as Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTUH) instructs autonomous colleges to re-evaluate papers using normalisation. This decision follows JNTUH’s observation of a considerable rise in the number of students earning distinction marks in these colleges.

The Marks Inflation Issue

• Around 40 colleges displayed a significant deviation in marks compared to previous results.
• The primary concern involves the R22 batch (students who enrolled in 2022-23), as they have 40% marks for internals and 60% for externals, providing colleges more leeway to manipulate the numbers.
• Some colleges were discovered to be adding extra marks to specific papers for students who performed poorly.
• One college even distributed a question bank to students and ensured that most exam questions were sourced from the bank.

Consequently, affiliated colleges had a pass percentage of approximately 25%, while autonomous colleges achieved a pass percentage of 70%.

Repercussions for Autonomous Colleges

JNTUH has cautioned colleges about the repercussions if they persist in this practice. They risk forfeiting their autonomous status and reverting to functioning as JNTUH-affiliated colleges. This would entail losing the freedom to establish their own curriculum, administer exams, and set their own fees.

Current State of Affairs in Telangana

• Telangana currently boasts 95 autonomous engineering colleges, with 88 under JNTUH and seven under Osmania University.
• The state also hosts four autonomous pharmacy colleges under JNTUH.

Several autonomous colleges face allegations of indiscriminately awarding high marks to students to draw more students to their institutions.

JNTUH’s Position on Affiliation

JNTUH’s fact-finding committees have declared that no college will be granted affiliation for the upcoming academic year if they lack the necessary faculty. AICTE norms permit 20% faculty from other disciplines to be employed to teach CSE and related subjects, provided they have completed National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) and other required courses. If colleges still lack sufficient faculty, affiliation will be withheld.

No new engineering seats will be introduced in the upcoming academic year, as they have not received any instructions from the government.