In a rare email blunder to hundreds of fellow pupils, the UK's prestigious Oxford University accidentally leaked a list of worst-performing students' marks, Press Trust of India reported.
The email, sent unintentionally by an administrator on Monday, disclosed the names of 50 undergraduates who were awarded marks graded 2.2 and below in their first-term pre-Christmas exams. According to PTI, a university grade of 2.2 is any result above 50 percent, but lower than 60 percent.
In an email originally written to inform students of timetables for upcoming exams, a mistake on an Excel document caused the names and marks of almost 50 students to be sent out instead. Containing only marks of 2.2 and below, the document revealed each student's name, percentage and subject, PTI reported.
Staff was quick to request students to "please delete the email as it contained inaccuracies," Mirror Online reported.
"I was gutted after my results, but didn't realize I would be publicly humiliated," one of the student told university newspaper The Tab. "I can't even go into college any more. I want a full explanation."
"Everyone on the list is just trying to laugh it off. But no one feels comfortable with having something so personal shared with the entire college," another student told the paper. "It's hard not to feel everyone's talking about you. They may as well have gone the whole hog and just released all health records of students - or maybe just those with STIs."
Abigail Reeves, president of the University College's Junior Common Room, said the staff member responsible was "mortified" by the mistake, The Independent reported.
"We would like to apologize to all students affected by this inadvertent disclosure for any distress this has caused and reassure them that we are investigating exactly how this happened and are determined to make sure this does not happen again," said Dr. Anne Knowland, senior tutor of University College. "University College takes the treatment of sensitive data very seriously."
It's believed the email may have been sent to hundreds of students. According to PTI, the college has 372 undergraduate and 221 graduate students.
