Dispute over question papers left unresolved for two years, student dies.
KALPANA BHATTARAI
Tuesday, Bhadra 23, 2077
KATHMANDU – On July 14, 2020, the Supreme Court issued an interim order on behalf of Tribhuvan University to keep the answer sheets and all related documents for the disputed examination of Quantum Mechanics of the first semester of the Bachelor’s degree in Physics (old curriculum) safe until Ashar 30, 2077.
Following the plea for a writ filed by the aggrieved student Ashish Poudel, the Supreme Court issued the said interim order. On Shrawan 32, a dispute arose, and the examination committee of the Institute of Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, had destroyed the answer sheets for the contentious examination.
On 29 Poush 2075 and 5 Ashoj 2076, the University had issued an order to keep the answer sheets safe for two semesters. Prior to that, the students had lodged complaints with the Vice-Chancellor’s office on Ashoj 7, 2076, to keep the answer sheets safe. After receiving no response to their request, the aggrieved students had submitted the disputed answer sheets to the National Information Commission, the National Vigilance Center, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Education and demanded the protection of the contested answer sheets.
On Ashoj 30, 2076, and Kartik 21, 2076, the National Vigilance Center directed the preservation of all documents related to the contentious examination, including question papers and answer sheets, until the dispute was resolved. Other government bodies had also given orders to Tribhuvan University to keep the disputed answer sheets safe until the final decision was made.
Dean of the Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Ram Prasad Khatiwada, responded with the information that the answer sheets had been kept safe. However, the results of the examination were published on Baisakh 11, 2076. The answer sheets were destroyed four months after that, as confirmed in a response sent by the Dean’s office. The second set of results was published only four months later.
Following the destruction of the answer sheets, the aggrieved students and Dr. Ram Prasad Khatiwada of Tribhuvan University have each lodged complaints in the Supreme Court. Despite the destruction of evidence, the provisions of Rule 236 of the Tri-Chandra College Rules 2050 state that all relevant documents related to the examination must be kept safe for four months from the publication of the results.
The disputed answer sheets would not be destroyed as per the rules, and violating the court’s orders can confirm that Tribhuvan has made one mistake after another.
A matter under dispute is not to be discussed as it is in court; no further information is necessary. Baburam Pandey, the information officer of the National Information Commission, states that the response will be discussed only after the response is received.
Gyan Raj Subedi, the spokesperson for the National Vigilance Center, says that since the matter is in court, they cannot take any action.
