UCG Chief faces contempt charge

Z-score recalculationOrdered to be present in Supreme Court to show cause 

July 19, 2012, 11:09 pm 

By Chitra Weerarathne, the island

The Chairman of the University Grants Commission Prof. Gamini Samaranayake was yesterday directed by the Supreme Court to present himself before Court on Monday, July 23, 2012 to show cause as to why contempt proceedings should not be instituted against him for not taking any effective and meaningful steps to release the Z-scores of candidates who sat the GCE A/L examination in August 2011, in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment dated June 29, 2012, without any delay.

The Registrar of the Court was directed to inform the Chairman of the UGC to be present, before a Supreme Court Bench comprising the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, Justice N. G. Amaratunga and Justice K. Sripavan.

Senior State Counsel Nevin Pulle told the Court yesterday that the Commissioner of Examinations had received from the UGC on July 13, 2012, the date and the recent formula for the Z-score, taking the new syllabus and the old syllabus as different populations. He added that the Commissioner General of Examinations had taken the necessary steps and would re-calculate the Z-scores and re-issue the results before July 25, 2012.

In this matter, a motion was filed by a group of students on July 13, 2012 complaining to the Court that there was a delay on the part of the UGC as regards the implementation of the Supreme Court order that the Z-scores be recalculated with the two syllabi taken as two separate populations.

Faiz Mustapha PC, who appeared for the UGC, said that a committee of experts had sat on eleven working days to discuss the recalculation issue of the Z-scores. By July 13, 2012 they had provided the necessary details to the Commissioner General of Examinations.

J. C. Weliamuna, appearing for the petitioner, said that the authorities on June 26, 2012 had held a press conference claiming that there was a doubt as to who should do the recalculation.

Chief Justice: That day should have been spent on the job assigned to them according to the judgment.

Justice K. Sripavan: The judgment is crystal clear that directions were given to the UGC to abide by the Universities Act Section 15 as amended and to commence the work pertaining to the re-issue of fresh Z-scores without delay.

The Bench comprised the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, Justice N. G. Amaratunga and Justice K. Sripavan.