HYDERABAD, July 25: Unsuccessful students of the 1993 batch of the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, have rejected the university decision to give another chance on humanitarian ground to the students who had failed during the 1991-94 period and hold a special examination for them.

They told newsmen on Sunday that they did not want any sympathy because they were struggling for their genuine rights. They demanded that they should be given 200 grace marks and awarded degrees.

They alleged that the former and the incumbent vice-chancellors had given 300 grace marks to 16 incompetent students and awarded them degrees. They said even if the failure students of 1991-1994 batches, accepted the offer to appear in the special supplementary examination, they would again be declared fail and their future would be destroyed.

They said since they had exposed corrupt practices of the university, therefore, they would not be declared pass. They said they would continue hunger strike unless the vice chancellor personally visited hunger strikers' camp and assured students that justice would be done in the matter.

A senior officer of the university who requested anonymity said the question of granting 300 grace marks to any student simply did not arise in a technical institution. He said grace marks might had been given to some students in the past due to political and media pressure but it was inconceivable that they were given 300 grace marks.

He said if some students were given grace marks, it was absolutely illegal, adding that an illegal act could not be quoted as a precedent. The university official said according to rules only five grace marks could be given as a special case.

He said those who could not pass their four years course in 13 or 11 years have no right to protest or demand the award of degrees without passing the examination.