The Hindu

Mangalore, Mar 5: Expectations from T.C. Shivashankara Murthy, who has just taken charge as the new Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University, are high.

Mr. Murthy has served not only as a teacher of botany but also as an administrator during his 37 years of service in the University of Mysore. He was the acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mysore and its Registrar (Evaluation) for some time. It was during his tenure as the acting Vice-Chancellor in 2008 that the Centre sanctioned a Rs. 100-crore package to the University of Mysore.

General secretary of the Association of Mangalore University College Teachers K.V. Purushothama told The Hindu that the association was expecting Mr. Murthy to set right some of the glitches in the computerisation of marks cards issuance and tabulation of marks. The university had been partially successful in computerising these two tasks. Mr. Purushothama said that the university had not come out with details of the action taken on the alleged manipulation of the tabulation of marks of the LLB examinations conducted in October-November, 2008. The former Vice-Chancellor of the university K.M. Kaveriappa had gone on record that 70 to 80 cases of manipulation had been detected.

“This is not a silly matter. The university should disclose the findings of its investigation into this,” There was a delay in announcing the results of examinations, re-evaluation of papers and re-totalling of marks. “The varsity is yet to announce the results of the semester examinations of degree courses conducted in November-December 2009,” he said.

Y. Bhasker Shetty, honorary president, Association of the First Grade College Principals of Mangalore University, said that the university had not followed the calendar of events for the past two years. Mr. Shetty, who is the president of the Federation of Degree College Principals' Associations in Karnataka, said that as tabulating marks manually was taking a long time, teachers from various colleges were being forced to spare some time for this task even after classes began. M. Narahari, president, Federation of University and College Teachers' Associations in Karnataka, said that Mangalore University had not gone for re-accreditation for long. Hence, how could it ask its affiliated colleges to go for re-accreditation?