Delhi University (DU) even though has declared its annual exam results before time this year, has instigated a controversy with the random moderation of internal assessment marks.
The students are agitated that this step taken by the university has had a negative bearing on their overall result.
DU's moderation committee might hold a meeting today to decide on the students' complaint.
The internal assessment marks awarded by the DU colleges' form 25% of the total score.
The students got so disappointed that nearly 200 of them at Sri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) signed a complaint against moderation of marks and put it up on the college notice board.
Same way, more than 100 students from various girls' colleges had protested at the examination branch office during the past week.
"There are so many inconsistencies in internal assessment marks this year and the problem is even worse with the first-year students of B.Com (Honours)," said Madhvi, a third-year student of SRCC, who lost six marks to moderation.
Even students from various other colleges like Daulat Ram, Hans Raj and Miranda House have felt that their internal assessment scores have been hit after moderation.
However, varsity authorities said that moderation is done by a completely separate committee to bring uniformity in the internal and external assessment of students.
According to H C Pokhriyal, Acting Dean, Examinations, "Moderation of internal assessment is not a whimsical process. It is based on a formula. The moderation committee may either meet on Monday or Tuesday to decide on the matter. Till then we will wait for the committee's direction."
On the other hand, teachers feel that moderation defeats the purpose of internal assessment.
"If students obtain fewer marks in the main exam, and marks awarded to them internally are higher, the latter gets moderated. However, the moderation this time is so drastic that many students have either not managed to pass or cannot appear for competitive exams because they don't have the minimum marks required," said a teacher of North Campus College.
"The problem is that the university does not trust the teachers and slashes internal assessment marks if they feel we give students high marks," he added.