In the arrear hole
Arrears – every anna university engineering student’s worst enemy. They decide to attack when you least expect, cling onto your marksheets like leeches, sometimes semesters at a stretch, sucking those precious marks off the aggregate which already lies below rock bottom. But worst of all is when they start multiplying like rabbits and your hall tickets turn into multi page documents, draining what little confidence you had in yourself and leaving your parents wondering if all those “my son is really intelligent, so engineering was the natural choice” at all those family parties was maybe a wee bit of exaggeration.
The suckers have hounded me since my second semester, where i made my debut into the club with an arrear in environmental sciences, the one subject even the tamil medium students managed to pass because all you needed to do was write the words pollution, contamination and environment a hundred times over to fill 40 pages to get over 80 marks. I, unaware of the anna university evaluating procedures wrote 25 pages of meaningful sentences, in neat bulleted points, and got my ass whipped when the results were announced.
The face hiding and suffering that went with someone who was declared a failure in environmental studies was unbearable. I battled sleepless nights trying to figure out how me, a foreign schooled child, who wouldnt as much as throw his nose picking on the road, be subjected to such shame while 3rd rate retards who thought smoking weed indirectly helps the trees by giving them more co2, were enjoying their happy lives with an “all clear” tag.
Then came the window of light – the revaluation. Apparently you pay the university 400 bucks, and once the gods who decide our fate have received the cash, they roll a die and on getting their lucky number of the day, give you a pass. The reval results come out a month later and that F has been magically transformed into a P, no sorry note included for the mental suffering you had to endure however.
And as i found out three more sems, 4 more arrears and 4 successful revaluations later, this is quite a smart arrangement by the AU folks, cause in the end everyones a winner, the university gets their 400 bucks for each paper sent in by a desperate student. And the desperate student is awarded with a P, and you even gain some experience being locked into your room by your parents as an added bonus. Its much like giving your dog a treat.
Quite simple, or so i thought until my fifth arrear last sem turned up a negative reval result. Something had gone wrong, my paper was the simplest of the sem and i knew id ace it. Yet, i ended with a shocking 12/80. But i had paid the university the 400 bucks they wanted, i had the challan with me and even licked the hod’s rearside for a recommendation and all i got was a “no change” in my reval?! Something had gone wrong, terribly wrong.
It was then that i realised, it all depended on the roll of that die.
PlaneMad's BitterScotch - A few photos, a little design, some unusual experiences and snippets of my college life in chennai 
wrote 25 pages of meaningful sentences, in neat bulleted points, and got my ass whipped when the results were announced.
oh, you naive child! *pained*
Suraksha
December 14, 2007 at 10:28 pm
hey that was a really good blog man…….i dont think it all comes to the dice matter in the end…..let me guess…..as far as ive heard it depends on the Dependant(s) of the one who corrects the examination(spouse)….if they are happy we are happy …. if they are angry we are whipped……so spouse of the one who corrects the paper is directly proportional to us…….this is wat my physics teacher told me in 12th……”un veelai nee nalla pannitu andavan mela baaratha podu”….:(i really donno y they bring him into the pic sad!!)
sethu
December 14, 2007 at 10:50 pm
>su
ahh. dark memories. i still remember when everyone laughed on my face when id told id written only 25 pages
>sethu
my point was simple. luck period
planemad
December 14, 2007 at 10:57 pm
I kinda agree with you here. Anna Univ torments us with some form of stupid correction scheme. Everytime I expect good marks, I end up getting crappy marks.
I doubt if the number of pages you write matters really. I normally do not write more then 26 – 30 pages myself. It’s what you write that matters, or so I believe.
As far as the last paper goes, did you get a photocopy ? What paper was this ? Someone should probably sue Anna University if you have proof you have passed and yet they flunked you.
Karthik
December 14, 2007 at 11:29 pm
Problem is no one really knows whats goes on, ive seen coding experts fail in data structures and fellas with 85% aggregates flunk easy papers. Everyone has their own theories, the no of pages, handwriting, diagrams, the evaluator’s sexual activity, the brand of deodorant that you use and so on. But the one thing everyone agrees to is that they simply dont have time to read your papers, so there’s got to be something else.
Then the marks come, gives you fits, you get the xerox and your teacher tells you you’re sure to pass, you send it for reval and you find out that the university was just interested in your money cause they make too damn little from their tution fees.
Ive gotten 5 arrears out of which 4 cleared in reval. Who do i blame? i really dont know
planemad
December 14, 2007 at 11:51 pm
The good news is that most companies don’t really care about how many arrears you have had as long as you have cleared the papers by the time they come to recruit you.
Marc
December 15, 2007 at 12:35 am
U complain so much sweetheart… Well, got to remember how ur Random process paper reval results baffled you. “There was nothing in the paper!” said you to me.
Now wat dear friend, forgot that juicy bit of extravagant luck, or uncanny drunken leniency on the part of the correctors?
raptures
December 15, 2007 at 12:58 am
Well, i do agree we get unlucky sometimes with marks after al. Expect 90, u get 80 sometimes even early 70… Amen to not go below that
Shruthilaya Jaipal
December 15, 2007 at 1:03 am
P.S Raptures was only me. But u still justify ur random luck with ur RP paper
Shruthilaya Jaipal
December 15, 2007 at 1:04 am
Which is why studying here isn’t worth it…
Vyaas
December 15, 2007 at 7:14 am
But I guess Anna Univ has this weird knack of awarding more marks in some papers as well. So they kinda get compensated in the end.
As for companies not caring about arrears, quite true. What matters is how much you know.
The % and no of arrears are just ways to make sure that too many people don’t turn up for a job interview and give the interviewers a headache.
Karthik
December 15, 2007 at 10:54 pm
>marc
true, but it still puts you under mental stress.
>raptures
exactly, luck! how is that fair way to decide our results?
>vyaas
totally
>karthik
but compensation doesnt do the trick, they ought to be giving us what we deserve, no more no less.
planemad
December 16, 2007 at 4:24 pm
anna univ s total waste,money minded and worse correction,it s sadam hussain and osama home town
bala
January 27, 2008 at 12:31 pm
sounds like someone’s got the rod
planemad
January 28, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Planemad,
ve ur results come out?
Prasanna
January 30, 2008 at 1:53 am
guys relax have hope,,,arrears are just part of life,,im a 2007 passed out,,i had a total of 54 arrears and when i wrote my final semester i had 9 arrears +2 current subjects,,i cleared them all and got a first class and only once i have applied for revaluation in my 3rd sem without any luck.if i can do it then u too can. all the best for your exams.
idlekid
March 22, 2008 at 1:23 pm
i REALLY ADMIRE AT U MAN…
HARITHA
October 6, 2009 at 9:56 am
hi 2 all,
can anyone give me a suggestion on clearing arrears
now i’m in 8th sem & i’m having 20 arrear
balaji
April 2, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Arrears are a part of life,,, I got 25 arrears in last sem …plus 2 current papers….I cleared them all very easily and got 1st class,,Arrears affect only those who do not have the will,,,One should not ignore his pass time activities but should remember that studies build a carrer…Don’t play with your carrer !!!
mad
May 19, 2008 at 7:41 pm
^ thats some good advice
planemad
May 19, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Ah! I am reminded of my seventh sem paper titled Finite Element Analysis. A fully problematic subject, we got two theory big questions and the remaining 3 were mere attempts as the data given were insufficient. The result – nobody in class (or even Tamil Nadu) knew a shit in the paper. Many were unceremoniously failed. No surprise. But the biggest shock was that many got marks above 90!
Even those who got 90 and above were totally clueless about this.
Plain bullshit.
Narain
May 20, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Arrears are a part of maintaining GFs. For every GF, you get one arrear free… is wokay… final sem, cut all your tails… and you shall clear it all… but before that hump them all … hump them…
Sagaro
May 21, 2008 at 9:09 am
Am a B.E graduate 2008. I had an unexpected arrear in my V Semester. I applied for revaluation,but all in vain.
I didn’t mind about anything,I had the will to score more marks & my interest on the subjects increased tan before. I cleared that subject with 89% in my VI Semester.Just my confidence worked out there.My entire B.E % is 81.
Don’t blame anyone for your own mistakes. Accept & recognize,come out of your negatives,work-it out. Success will be in your feet oneday.All the best.
My kind advice to students who have arrear is don’t ever lose hope.No one than you can clear those arrears,that’s why you have those. Think positively. Study atleast two hours a day with full confidence.Study one subject daily,the important questions alone thoroughly,present it neatly. Am sure, you will clear all your papers in single attempt.Don’t lose hope.You can get your degree. All the very best students.
Lavanya
June 5, 2008 at 12:28 am
sir i have 10 arrears,i do hard, but i could not able to clear the papers,pls help me,gie me any kind of job
bose
July 22, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Yes sir. Even I do hard. But I get one arrears. I need new college. You give?
Amog
July 31, 2008 at 8:05 pm
i have an arrear after my final sem(2008 passed out)..what class wud i get if i clear it in first attempt ..
another question is when ll the be the results of exams would be announced.
pls do reply..
thank s in advance
renu
August 17, 2008 at 10:43 am
I am in my third semester and have an arrear in engineering mechnics got 22/80 i hope it gets cleared in revaluation.
vijayaraghavan
August 17, 2008 at 5:42 pm
is it possible for a change of exam center with anna university. I am a BE CSE, 2001 regulation student of afiliated anna university student.
do reply
selva
September 8, 2008 at 9:24 pm
i got it cleared yes 56/100
vijayaraghavan
October 29, 2008 at 8:55 pm
sir,
i have 25 papers in 7th sem
still current 3 more papers
total 28 papers to clear in 8th semester
sir can i clear all these paper in one semester!!!!!!
pls give some advise !!!!!!!!
thnk u
ashok
January 27, 2009 at 9:00 am
the web technology paper this sem was vry difficult.but almost 95% of the students hv cleared with 36…i m in my last sem and i hav had no history of arrears till now..but i got an arrear this time and i got only 19…will i clear if i apply for revaluation???i really feel this is my bad luck…wt ll happen??
pri
June 10, 2009 at 10:39 am
i scored 25 out of 80 in my PQT this sem. will i be passed in revaluation. will grace marks be awarded. please help me
pinki
July 18, 2009 at 7:11 pm
i got 19 in pqt.. wil i be awarded grace marks..am passed out.this affects my carrier
hapy
August 5, 2009 at 2:10 pm