NAGPUR, July 23: In a case which symbolises the gross irregularities and underhand dealings in physical education courses, Nagpur University is likely to debar the Principal and a teacher of a college from examination work for five years and keep eight external and internal examiners away from confidential work for two years.The Principal and management of Vainganga Sharirik Shikshan Mahavidyalaya, Sakoli, had complained that the examiners had demanded money.An enquiry committee appointed by Vice-Chancellor Dr Bhalchandra Chopane submitted its report at a meeting of the Board of Examinations last week and accepted.For the summer 1997 practical (skills) examinations of Bachelor of Physical Education (BPEd) degree a team of eight physical education teachers was sent to this college as external or internal examiners.According to the teachers, the Principal of the College, N P Singh, along with B Karanjekar, chairman of the education society running the college, pressurised them to be liberal and later insisted on alteration of the marks of each examinee on the higher side.In their version, the teachers claim that since they did not yield to the demands, Singh and Karanjekar, along with some others, drove to the bus station where they were waiting for the bus and threatened to beat them up. A police complaint was also filed in this regard. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the education society came out with a press statement alleging that the examiners had demanded Rs 40,000 to hike the marks and warned that if the sum was not paid they would drastically cut the marks. The committee in its report has put forth some doubts and questions which it said had still remained unanswered. In its findings, the committee has also noted that the teachers committed a serious breach of confidentiality by carrying out the work of allotment of marks in the given proforma at a public place like a guest house where persons other than the examiners were present. They had also not bothered to countersign at places where corrections and changes were made.The committee also said that all the external and internal examiners be kept away from confidential work for the coming two years by the competent authority or body. Principal Singh and another internal examiner Sanjay Agashe are to be debarred from all examination work for five years for ``offering money to the examiners at the guest house.'' Another concurrent five-year debarment has been clamped on Singh for not disclosing that his brother was an examinee.The committee also recommended cancellation of the practical examination at the Sakoli college and suggested re-examination all over again at Nagpur with a different set of examiners.Most of the students in many physical education colleges are from northern states. It is alleged that these students turn up only on the exam day and the college `manages' the records for the whole year. If these exams were to be held again, all the students would have to be called back. They might not take kindly as they had paid a little extra at the beginning of the year to the management ensure that such problems do not arise.During the Congress regime in the State, physical education colleges were allotted indiscriminately to politicians and their kin. The degree is in great demand in northern states. Every year, hundreds of students from these states flock here at the beginning of the year with large sums of money. The colleges, in turn, promise them first class degrees without having to enter the classroom.
