Caving in to pressure, the National University (NU) authorities Monday announced that around 100,000 honours first year students, who had failed to achieve at least 40% marks in five subjects out of eight, would be promoted to the second year.
These failed students have been demonstrating for the last couple of days demanding promotion.
Educationists and citizens condemned the move, saying the government is apparently avoiding unpopular measures ahead of the election.
“As the election is approaching, the government has followed the policy of appeasing everyone. This will affect the standard of education severely. No compromise can be made on quality of education,” said columnist Abul Maksud.
He said Awami League is perceiving a fall in its popularity after its candidates lost all five city corporation elections held in the last two months.
“I am against the NU’s decision of promoting those who failed in five subjects. This is a very bad decision,” Mohammad Zafar Iqbal, a professor of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, told the Dhaka Tribune.
“It is dangerous to give in to the pressure of the students’ street agitation. It might encourage them to follow the same path for meeting other unjustified demands,” he said.
The varsity officials said the NU students are scattered across the country.
“If 100,000 students take to the street at a time in the month of Ramadan, it would be difficult for the government to control,” a NU professor seeking anonymity told the Dhaka Tribune.
In support of the university’s move, the professor said the decision came after considering the “future of the students” and the “guardians’ circumstances.”
Professor Shawkat Ara of Dhaka University said the NU decision was aimed at promoting some Chhatra League activists who had failed to achieve 40% marks.
“Some freedom fighters in 1972 demanded auto promotion from the Dhaka University authorities. But then vice chancellor told them: “You can have auto promotion over my dead body’,” she recalled.
“I am really hurt by the National University’s decision. We must not compromise on education,” said the professor.
On Wednesday, NU published the result of the honours first year examination of 2011 which was attended by over 200,000 students. A staggering 46% of them did not pass.
The result triggered an instant outcry from many failed students and they subsequently took to the streets to protest. They attributed their failure to the new grading system introduced last year. In the new system, the lowest pass mark was changed from 33 to 40.
As per exam regulations, when a student fails in a subject, he or she has to retake that exam to prove his eligibility for promotion.
Munaz Ahmed Noor, the pro-vice-chancellor of NU, blamed the teachers for “failure” to adapt to the new system, claiming the university had nothing to do with the large number of failures.
At a press briefing, Faizul Karim, the director of public relations wing of the varsity, said the decision would help the students to better prepare for their next examinations.
Students will also be expected to attend classes regularly and be attentive in their studies, he said.