Posting this anonymously because this affects many students and needs to be addressed properly.
On 25th April, during the FAT exam for BMAT204L (Probability and Statistics) in C2 + TC2 slot, VIT allowed students with NPTEL clashes to write exams in alternate sessions (morning/evening). While this was a good initiative, the execution has led to a serious fairness issue.
What happened:
- Students with NPTEL in the morning wrote FAT in the evening
- Students with NPTEL in the evening wrote FAT in the morning
- Exams were conducted in Admin Block with mixed seating (different classes together)
Issues observed:
1. Same paper across classes
Even though different faculty handled the course, the question paper was effectively the same (only faculty name different).
2. Difficulty mismatch between sessions
The morning paper was noticeably more difficult than the evening paper (based on multiple student discussions).
3. Seating arrangement → possible unfair advantage
Students writing the same subject were seated next to each other. Since the exam is mostly calculation-based, answers could be easily matched/copied.
Why this is serious:
- Students who wrote the tougher morning paper relied purely on preparation
- Some students in the evening session may have gained an unintended advantage
- With relative grading, this directly affects grades of honest students
This is not about blaming anyone — it’s about ensuring fairness in evaluation.
What can be done?
Students should consider mailing the Controller of Examinations and raising this concern respectfully.
Suggested requests:
- Normalization/moderation between sessions
- Separate evaluation consideration if needed
- Review of exam conduct (if required)
If multiple students raise this together, there is a real chance of action.
If you were affected, don’t ignore this — even a single mail can help, but collective effort is stronger.
Let’s make sure grading reflects actual performance, not circumstances.
Email Template -
Send this to the emails:
Respected Sir/Madam,
I hope you are doing well.
I am writing to formally bring to your attention a concern regarding the fairness of the FAT examination for BMAT204L – Probability and Statistics, conducted on 25 April under the C2 + TC2 slot, particularly in the context of the NPTEL examination clash accommodations.
Firstly, I sincerely appreciate the university’s effort in accommodating students facing clashes with NPTEL examinations by allowing alternate session appearances (morning/evening). However, the manner in which the examination was conducted appears to have unintentionally created conditions that may affect fairness in evaluation.
I would like to present the situation clearly:
- Students with NPTEL examinations in the morning were permitted to write the FAT examination in the evening session.
- Students with NPTEL examinations in the evening (including myself) appeared for the FAT in the morning session.
- The examinations were conducted in the Admin Block, where students from multiple classes (different faculty handling the same course) were seated together.
During this process, the following observations were made:
- Uniformity of Question Paper Across Classes Despite different faculty handling the course, the question paper for BMAT204L appeared to be effectively the same across sections, with only faculty names differing.
- Variation in Difficulty Level Between Sessions The morning session paper was comparatively more challenging than the evening session paper, based on student feedback and discussion.
- Seating Arrangement and Potential Unfair Advantage Students attempting the same subject were seated adjacent to each other within the same hall. Given the nature of the Probability and Statistics examination (largely calculation-based with limited descriptive writing), this arrangement may have enabled the possibility of answer-sharing or copying during the examination.
As a result, this has led to a concerning situation:
- Students who wrote the exam in the morning session relied solely on preparation and faced a relatively tougher paper.
- Some students in the evening session may have gained an unintended advantage due to seating conditions and comparatively easier paper difficulty.
- Since VIT follows a relative grading system, this difference may directly impact the grades of students who appeared fairly under stricter conditions.
I would like to respectfully emphasize that this concern is not raised as an allegation, but as a request to ensure that no student is academically disadvantaged due to factors beyond their control.
In light of the above, I humbly request the Examination Office to kindly consider appropriate corrective measures, such as:
- Normalization or moderation between morning and evening sessions if a difficulty variation is observed
- Separate evaluation or grading consideration for different sessions (if feasible)
- Review of invigilation reports or CCTV recordings to identify any irregularities, if deemed necessary
- Any other measure that ensures fairness and consistency in evaluation
I sincerely believe that a review of this situation will help uphold the integrity and fairness of the examination process.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration. I would be grateful if this concern could be looked into at the earliest.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Registration Number]
[Program / Branch]
VIT Chennai
(On behalf of concerned students)