LAKSHMI NARAYAN Vs. UNIVERSITY OF JAMMU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The Controller of Examinations, University of Jammu informed the various institutions imparting education in the discipline of Bachelor of Education to adopt 'Standard to be adopted in evaluation of Teaching Practice in the matter of awarding marks in internal and external examination'. The necessity to make this change and adopt this method was felt as some of the Colleges were found to be making liberal assessments which enabled the students to steal march over the others. The institutions which were making objective assessment on the basis of the knowledge and performance displayed by a candidate as per the respondents were placed at a disadvantageous position. It was this factor which led the University authorities to adopt the method referred to above. This is being challenged inter alia on the ground that such was not the procedure which the students were supposed to face when they joined the course. Any change in mid-stream is likely to affect them. It is submitted that calling upon the internal and external examiners not to grant marks more than 75% in the case of external examinations and not more than 80 marks in the case of internal examination is a direction which would be prejudicial to academically meritorious students. A student may have a capacity of getting cent percent marks and if this capacity is to be limited in the terms of the procedure prescribed, then this would operate to the prejudice of the students.

(2.) Before noticing the stand of the University, it would be apt to notice what is the procedure which has been prescribed now. This has been mentioned in the communication dated 27-5-2002. This communication in so far as relevant for the purpose of disposal of this petition is being noticed below : The standard normative table to be followed for identifying the students to be awarded marks as per below mentioned table is internal and external practice teaching : "TABLEPercentage of cases Description of performance 3% Outstanding 4% Very Good 22% Good 36% Average 22% Below Average 7% Poor 3% Very Poor To work out the marks, the highest score ordinarily should not exceed 75% of total marks i.e. 150 out of 200 in case of external examination and 80% i.e. 160 out of 200 in case of internal examination. When the highest and lowest is decided (150-90) the range of marks and number of students falling in each interval on the basis of above percentage of candidates can be worked out. It has been indicated for reference through two examples : Intake 240 Intake 120 Intake 80 Range of Marks % No. of Candidates Range of Marks % No. of Candidates Range of Marks No. of Candidates 150 and above 3 7 150 and above 3 4 150 and above 2 140-149 7 17 140-149 7 8 140-149 6 130-139 22 53 130-139 22 26 130-139 18 120-129 36 86 120-129 36 44 120-129 28 110-119 22 53 110-119 22 26 110-119 18 100-109 7 17 100-109 7 8 100-109 6 90-99 3 7 90-99 3 4 80-99 2"@@@

(3.) Petitioners have challenged this system inter alia on the following grounds :