St.Thomas Institute of Management and Technology (STIMAT)

1. Introduction

Progression of students from one NTA level to the next level; the general fate of students and the conduct of examination are guided by approved College Examination Regulations. Students are required to sit for examinations according to the College Examination Regulations. These regulations shall apply to the accredited programmes leading to the awards of NTA levels 4, 5, and with effect from academic year 2017/2018.

2. Definitions

“Candidate” means any person registered for College examination.

“College” means ST. THOMAS INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY.

“Continuous Assessment (CA)” means any form of evaluation made during the cause of the academic years such as classroom test, homework, project and field attachment which contributes to the final score in examinations.

“Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)” means the summation of grade points of all credit modules divided by the total number of credit hours taken by a student beginning from his/her admission till the last examination held.

“Examination” means class test, assignments, project work, mid-semester examination, supplementary examination and end of semester examination.

“Examiner” means any person appointed to conduct examinations.

“Instructor” means teacher, tutor, lecturer or professor.

“Make-up test” means any test given to a student after failing regular test in a particular module.

“Module” means any independent package of learning related to an academic programme studied by a student for a fixed number of hours during a semester that can be credited towards the final award at any given level.

“Programme” means the totality of modules offered towards the award of certificates.

“Re-do” means to repeat the modules including Continuous Assessment and End of Semester Examination.

“Semester” means an academic period in which one set of course modules in each discipline is offered and examined.

“Student” means any person admitted for any course of study conducted by the College.

“Special Examination” means an examination administered to candidates who failed to do a specified number of modules during regular examinations by reason of illness or other special circumstances.

“Supplementary Examination” means an examination administered to candidates who failed to obtain a pass in the specified number of modules during regular examinations.

3. Statutory Examination Power

The ST. THOMAS INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY (STIMAT) is empowered to make regulations governing the conduct of examinations through NACTE Accreditation requirements.

4. Primacy of College Examination Regulations

The College Examination Regulations take precedence over any other regulations including those of external or professional bodies unless variation is specifically permitted by the STIMAT Governing Board.

5. Cognizance of Examination Regulations

By registering as STIMAT student, every student is deemed to be cognizant of and to have agreed to abide by the examination rules set out in these regulations.

6. General Examination Regulations

6.1. Eligibility for Examination

No candidate shall be eligible for any examination unless he/she
has paid to the College of all required or prescribed fees.
has done Registration into a programme of study or module.
has successful completed prescribed Continuous Assessments (CAs).
No candidate shall be eligible for any examination in any module unless the candidate has undertaken and completed the module by attendance of at least 80%.
Students sitting for supplementary examinations, special examinations may register for any number of modules on offer during each semester and in accordance with applicable prescribed conditions.

6.2. Assessment of a Candidate

Unless it is specifically stated in the module description, the assessment of a candidate shall be as follows:

Continuous Assessment, which may include: assignments, homework, practical/laboratory work and tests shall carry a weight of 40%.
The end of semester examinations shall carry a weight of 60%.

6.3. Conditions for Passing a Module

The final assessment mark for each student in a module shall be determined on the scale of 0 to 100%. Grades will comply with the College Grading System (Table 7.1). Unless it is specifically stated in the module description, the assessment shall be as follows:

For NTA Level 4 and 5, the pass mark for each module shall be 50%. That is a candidate should score at least 20 marks out of 40 marks in continuous assessment and 30 marks out of 60 marks in the end of semester examination.
For NTA level 6, the pass mark for each module shall be 45%. That is a candidate should score at least 18 marks out of 40 marks in continuous assessment and 27 marks out of 60 marks in the end of semester examination.
In consultation with the module Instructor, a candidate who fails in the continuous assessment of any module, shall be allowed to do one make-up test or assignment to improve his/her performance. All make-up tests shall be done before the commencement of the end of semester examinations.
A candidate who fails in the continuous assessment shall be deemed to have failed the module and will be barred from sitting for end of semester examination. A candidate who is barred shall be given an F grade for the respective module and shall be required to re-do the module when next offered.
A candidate who is required to re-do the module shall have to do both Continuous Assessment and End of Semester Examination.
A candidate who fails the end of semester examination shall be deemed to have failed the module and shall sit for supplementary examination.

6.4. Absence from Examination

A candidate who absents oneself (unauthorized absence) from any examination without compelling reasons shall be discontinued from studies.
A candidate who goes out of the examination room, without authority or permission of the invigilator shall be discontinued from studies.
A candidate allowed to be absent (authorized absence) from the end of semester examinations shall be awarded an incomplete grade abbreviated ‘I’ and shall have to sit for special examination(s) when next offered.
A candidate who fails to submit assignment(s) given without compelling reasons shall be considered to have attempted such assignment(s) and shall be awarded a zero mark.
A candidate, who, being ill or otherwise incapacitated, decides to sit for end of semester examinations shall be responsible for the results.

6.5. Approval of Examination Results

The approval of results shall be as follows:

Continuous Assessment results shall be approved by the Departmental Academic Committee.
The end of semester examinations results shall be provisionally approved by the College Academic Committee.
The final results shall be approved by the College Governing Board

6.6. Publication of Examination Results

The results of candidates in every examination shall be published provisionally by the Registrar soon after their consideration by the College Academic Committee.
The final results of candidates in every examination shall be published after the College Governing Board has confirmed them.
The published results will indicate the registration number, grades obtained by the candidate in each module and GPA.
The answer booklets shall be maintained for a period of at least one year from the date of publication of final results and shall thereafter be disposed of in the manner as may be determined by the College Academic Committee.
It is the responsibility of the candidates to maintain awareness of academic performance including examination results and examination dates.

6.7. Conditions for supplementing

A candidate who fails in one or more modules and having passed at least 60% of total modules shall be allowed to do supplementary examination for the failed modules provided the overall Grade Point Average (GPA) is not less than 2.0.
Supplementary examinations shall be conducted within such time after the date of declaration of the overall semester results as the College Academic Committee may determine. NTA level 6 students shall do their semester I supplementary examination(s) at the beginning of semester II.
A candidate, who sits for his/her semester/special examinations at the time of supplementary examinations as his/her first sitting, shall sit for his/her supplementary examinations in the next semester examination session.
Where a candidate has passed by virtue of supplementary examinations, he/she shall be awarded a pass grade C.

6.8. Conditions for Special Examinations

Special examinations may be granted to students who, by reason of illness or other special circumstances, have been unable to sit or complete an examination. Satisfactory evidence of such illness or circumstances must be produced and approved by the College Academic Committee.
A candidate who appears for special examinations under this regulation shall be treated as sitting for the examinations for the first time.
Special examinations shall be conducted at a time coincident with supplementary examinations or any date as determined by the College Academic Committee.

6.9. Repeating an Academic Year (NTA Level)

There shall be no repetition of an academic year or NTA Level.

6.10. Conditions for Discontinuation

A candidate who fails to pass at least 60% of total modules at the end of the academic year and/or gets a GPA less than 2.0 shall be discontinued from studies.
A candidate who fails more than three (3) modules in supplementary examinations shall be discontinued from studies.
A student who fails the supplementary examination of the re-do modules shall be discontinued from studies.
Any candidate caught cheating in any way including plagiarism during any examination shall be discontinued from the studies.
Absence from any examination without compelling reasons communicated before commencement of the examination shall lead to discontinuation.
Entering in the examination room with any unauthorized material shall lead to discontinuation.

6.11. Conditions for Readmission

A candidate who has been discontinued on academic grounds shall not be readmitted until after two years and the year to be re-admitted, shall be determined by the College Academic Committee.
Readmission shall be determined by completion of qualifying test/interview or any other procedure as will be determined from time to time. However, this privilege shall not apply to students discontinued on non-academic matters.

6.12. Academic Appeals

All the appeals concerning Continuous Assessments shall be forwarded to the Head of Department (HOD) and shall be settled by the Departmental Academic Committee one week before the commencement of end of semester examinations.
As soon as the College Academic Committee releases the end of semester examination results, any candidate who has valid ground for appeal shall lodge his/her appeal with the Principal within twenty one (21) days counted from the day of release of provisional results.
Appeals shall be on valid grounds, in written form (Appendix 1), and accompanied by relevant documented substantive evidence.
Each appellant must pay a non-refundable prescribed fee for each module he/she is appealing in order for his/her appeal to be processed.
Upon receiving such an appeal the Principal may seek advice from the Deputy Principal Academics, Research and Consultancy as it may deem appropriate and make a recommendation, which shall be tabled at the next meeting of the College Academic Committee.
The Principal may, if in his opinion there is a prima facie case, appoint an Appeals Sub-Committee to hear the appeal and make a recommendation that shall be tabled at the next meeting of the College Academic Committee.
Any candidate aggrieved by the decision of the College Academic Committee may appeal to the Chairperson of the Governing Board.
The decision of the Governing Board shall be final. The decision will be communicated to the concerned individual candidate through the Principal.
No mass action by students shall be entertained in academic matters.

6.13. Postponement of Studies

A student may be allowed to postpone studies for reasons of proven continued illness supported by a doctor’s medical certificate, or for any other reason, which in the opinion of the College Academic Committee is strong enough to prevent one from pursuing studies effectively.
The maximum period for a student to postpone studies is two academic years except that at the expiry of the first academic year a student must seek for a second postponement afresh.
Upon re-admission the student shall have to pay the current College fees.

6.14. Examination Irregularities

Any act of verbal communication and/or gesturing, having and/or using any un-authorized material, exchanging answer scripts, causing disturbance in/near any examination room, going out of the examination room without permission, involving oneself in leakage of examinations, plagiarism and any other act in the course of the examinations which contravenes the provisions of these regulations, altering information in marked scripts, shall constitute cheating and will be an irregularity for the purpose of these regulations.

6.15. Examination Room Rules

Candidates should make sure that they have been issued with examination numbers before examinations commence.
All candidates must display their identity cards on the top of the desk throughout the examination period.
Candidates must acquaint themselves with the sitting arrangement for their respective examination in advance.
Candidates should be in the examination room 15 minutes before the commencement of the examination.
No candidate shall be permitted to enter the examination room after the elapse of 30 minutes from the commencement of the examination and no candidate shall be permitted to leave the examination room until 30 minutes have expired. Once a candidate has submitted his/her answer script and has left the examination room, he/she shall not be allowed to re-enter the examination room.
No candidate shall be allowed to leave the examination room 15 minutes before the end of the examination duration.
Mobile phones, programmable calculators, handbags, coats and any un-authorized material shall not be allowed in the examination room.
During examination, candidates shall not be allowed to make any form of verbal or non verbal communication.
Candidates shall not be allowed to write anything on the question paper but are permitted to do rough work on the last pages of the answer script on understanding that this is crossed through at the end of the examination.
Candidates shall not be allowed to make any kind of disturbance in the examination room.
Drinking, Eating or Smoking shall not be allowed in the examination room.
Candidates shall obey all instructions given by the Supervisor/Invigilator.

6.16. Disciplinary Action

An invigilator(s) finding a candidate cheating shall inform him/her of the irregularity and submit a written report to the Registrar (Appendix 2).
Refusal by a candidate to sign a written report form shall mean admission of guilty of an examination irregularity.
In all cases of examination irregularities, the candidate shall be allowed to continue with the examination while his/her case is being pursued.
Any candidate who has been found guilty of an examination irregularity shall receive a disqualification grade abbreviated ‘Q’ and shall be discontinued from the program of study forth with and can never be readmitted.

7.0 Grading System

7.1. The College Grading System

Table 7.1: College Grading System and Score Range

NTA Level 4 – 5	NTA Level 6	NTA Level 7 – 8
Grade	Definition	Range %	Grade	Definition	Range %	Grade	Definition	Range
A	EXCELLENT: Excellent, Comprehensive, Accurate work of Outstanding quality	80 – 100	A	EXCELLENT: Work of outstanding quality, rare talent for the module, an original or incisive mind	75 – 100	A	EXCELLENT: Work of outstanding quality, rare talent for the module, an original or incisive mind	70-100
			B+	VERY GOOD: (WELL ABOVE AVERAGE) Comprehensive, Accurate work, Flair for and comprehension of the module is clearly perceptible	65 – 74	B+	VERY GOOD: (WELL ABOVE AVERAGE) Comprehensive, Accurate work, Flair for and comprehension of the module is clearly perceptible	60-69
B	GOOD: (ABOVE AVERAGE) Sound grasp of the most important goals of the course. Work described as careful, competent and good	65 – 79	B	GOOD: (ABOVE AVERAGE) Sound grasp of the most important goals of the course. Work described as careful, competent and good without being distinguished	55 – 64	B	GOOD: (ABOVE AVERAGE) Sound grasp of the most important goals of the course. Work described as careful, competent and good without being distinguished	50-59
C	SATISFACTORY: (AVERAGE) Average competence which falls short of B grade. Work described as adequate	50 – 64	C	SATISFACTORY: (AVERAGE) Average competence which falls short of B grade. Work described as adequate	45 – 54	C	SATISFACTORY: (AVERAGE) Average competence which falls short of B grade. Work described as adequate	40-49
D	POOR: (BELOW AVERAGE) Marginal barely satisfy the minimum requirements	40 – 49	D	POOR: (BELOW AVERAGE) Marginal barely satisfy the minimum requirements	35 – 44	D	POOR: (BELOW AVERAGE) Marginal barely satisfy the minimum requirements	35-39
F	FAILURE	0 – 39	F	FAILURE	0 – 34		FAILURE	0-34
I	INCOMPLETE		I	INCOMPLETE		I	INCOMPLETE
Q	DISQUALIFICATION		Q	DISQUALIFICATION		Q	DISQUALIFICATION

7.2. Score points for the different Grades

Table 7.2 shows Grade points that are to be used during award classification.

Table 7.2: Grade points for NTA Level 4-8

NTA Level 4 – 5	NTA level 6-8
A – 4	A – 5
B – 3	B+ – 4
C – 2	B – 3
D – 1	C – 2
F – 0	D – 1
	F – 0

7.3. Academic Audit Unit for NTA Levels 4-8 Programmes

Academic Audit Unit for programmes leading to the awards of NTA levels 4-8 shall be one academic year.

7.4. Progression and Awards

A candidate who satisfies the examiners by attaining the pass mark in all modules in an academic year shall:
In the case of years other than the final year, be eligible to proceed to the following year of study (or subsequent level).
In the case of NTA Level 8, be eligible for the award of Bachelor of Engineering; NTA level 7, be eligible for the award of Higher Diploma, NTA Level 6, be eligible for the award of Ordinary Diploma; NTA Level 5 be eligible for the award of Technician Certificate and NTA Level 4, be eligible for the award of Basic Technician Certificate.
Higher Diploma, Technician Certificate and Basic Technician Certificate shall be awarded to a student who exits at the corresponding level only.
Candidate is only eligible for the award if he/she
has passed the continuous assessment.
has satisfactory attendance of 75% of the course period.
has completed laboratory work, passed industrial practical training, project, completed set essays and other written work and performed satisfactorily in end of semester examinations.
NTA 7 students may be allowed to carry over the failed first year modules while doing their second year (Semesters III and IV). The maximum number of modules to be carried over shall be three (3).
The award for carry over module(s) in 7.4(c) shall be the actual grade(s) obtained by a candidate.
A student who fails in the supplementary examination for NTA level 4 to 8 of a given module may re-do the failed module only once when next offered.

7.5. Computation of the Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)

The computation of the cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) shall be based on the following formula:

7.6. Classifications of Awards

The classes of awards with reference to GPA are as shown in Table 7.5 below.

Table 7.5: Classes of Awards

NTA Level 4 – 5	NTA level 6 -8
Class of award	Cumulative GPA	Class of award	Cumulative GPA
First Class	3.5 – 4.0	First Class	4.4 – 5.0
Second Class	3.0 – 3.4	Upper Second Class	3.5 – 4.3
Pass	2.0 – 2.9	Lower Second Class	2.7 – 3.4
Pass	2.0 – 2.6

8.0 Review and Approval of Examination Regulations

These regulations shall be reviewed from time to time by the College Academic Committee and approved by the College Governing Board.

Examinations