Students get practical marks sans lab

Times of India, April 5, 2013

Ashok Pradhan, TNN | Apr 5, 2013, 12.45 AM IST
BHUBANESWAR: A college in Kalahandi districthas no laboratory, but five batches of Plus IIstudents have already passed out of it with practical marks.

B K Mallik, who was appointed external examiner by the Council of Higher Secondary Education(CHSE) for conducting botany practical test at KBK Times Academy (Kesinga), has reported that the private residential college has no laboratory at all. This has raised suspicion as to how the passouts got practical marks.

Mallik, a lecturer at Government Autonomous College, Bhawanipatna, was scheduled to conduct the test on March 26. After visiting the college, he refused to hold the exam citing complete absence of laboratory and equipment and reported the matter to his college authorities in writing, the college sources said.

Confirming the development, Loknath Sahu, principal in-charge of the Bhawanipatna college, said he apprised the CHSE of the matter the same day. "As per Mallik's report, the KBK Times Academy doesn't have botany laboratory and necessary equipment to conduct Plus II exam. Since practical examination can't be held there, I suggested the CHSE to conduct it somewhere else," Sahu told TOI. The academy has 128 students.

Academy authorities, however, asserted that it has proper laboratories for all science subjects. "I think there was a miscommunication with the external examiner. He left in a hurry even without visiting our laboratory," said KBK Times Academy principal Manoranajn Gumansingh.

CHSE authorities said it would examine if the college was functioning without a laboratory. "If it had no laboratory, the students must not have attended any practical class. It is surprising how the college managed to get government recognition. We will look into the matter and take appropriate steps," said CHSE controller of examinations Jasobanta Behera.

The then regional director of education at Sambalpur, Rajalakshmi Mishra on December 27, 2011, had pointed out no laboratory and zero practical classes in the KBK Times Academy and had threatened to withdraw recognition of the college and prohibit admission from the academic session 2012-13.

"The CHSE is allowing practical examinations in several colleges, which don't have laboratories. Government should conduct an inquiry into how many such colleges were awarding marks for practical subjects without actually conducting the tests," said Odisha Government College Teachers' Association genera secretary Manas Ranjan Behera.