KU's 'fails' become 'passes'

Around 150 students of SM Law College and Islamia Law College, who were initially shown as having failed in at least two subjects, were subsequently declared successful following what the report describes as a scrutiny process. Some students who had reportedly secured zero or very low marks in subjects were allegedly awarded marks ranging from 50 to 65.

The matter has raised questions over the legality of the process, particularly because KU rules, Khalid Iraqi, permit recounting under the annual examination system but do not allow rechecking of answer scripts.

Documents obtained by The Express Tribune include copies of examination papers, original and revised mark sheets, award sheets, minutes of the scrutiny committee meeting and approval documents of the acting VC., a scrutiny committee comprising Dean of the Faculty of Law Barrister Sarfraz Metlo, officials of the two law colleges and the controller of examinations was formed.

The committee met on August 5 under the chairmanship of the dean and decided to re-examine answer scripts for Paper 5 of LLB Part II.The following day, August 6, the controller of examinations obtained approval from Acting VC Dr Tufail Ahmed for the committee's recommendations.

The approval reportedly included the phrase "other related cases", after which students who had failed in Pakistan Studies were also brought within the process. The principal of SM Law College subsequently asked students to apply for scrutiny following the VC's approval.

The development is particularly significant because former permanent VC Dr Khalid Iraqi had earlier stopped a similar request. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Iraqi said a collective application had been submitted by students, whereas the university rules required individual applications for scrutiny.

He said that under the annual examination system, scrutiny involved recounting and did not permit rechecking of answer scripts. He therefore stopped the process. The latest case, however, has produced sharply conflicting accounts from university officials.

Controller of Examinations Dr Yasir denied that any failed students had been passed. "It is incorrect information. No failed student was passed.

I have nothing more to say," he said when The Express Tribune approached him for his version. Dean of the Faculty of Law Barrister Sarfraz Metlo, however, confirmed that the results had been changed, while insisting that the process was lawful.

"We obtained approval from the VC and formed a scrutiny committee. The students had been treated unfairly," he said, adding that 89% of the students had been failed by the same teacher., the papers were re-examined in the presence of the principals of both colleges and the controller of examinations.

He denied that students with zero marks had been passed, saying only those who had failed by a few marks were cleared. Metlo also maintained that university law allowed answer scripts to be re-examined.

SM Law College Principal Professor Fareed Dayo gave a similar account, saying around 180 students had been failed by a teacher from Islamia College and that the students were taken before the scrutiny committee, which passed those who had been treated unfairly. Islamia Law College Principal Professor Nadeem Advocate, when contacted, distanced himself from the matter.

"I know nothing about it. Whatever you want to ask, ask the Dean of Law," he. The episode comes days after Dr Waseem Qazi was appointed VC by the Sindh chief minister, placing the controversy among the early administrative challenges facing the university's new leadership.

The revised results have already enabled the affected students to move ahead with their academic plans and prepare for subsequent examinations, while questions remain over the authority under which their answer scripts were re-examined and their results altered.