The position is brighter at Abertay University, where students were today reassured their exams will be marked on time, despite the continuing industrial action.

Students across the country have feared that the “action short of strike” by the Association of University Teachers (AUT) could jeopardise the normal running of exams and have devastating effects for those hoping to graduate this year.

A spokesman for Dundee University stressed the “vast majority” of examinations will be marked and around 90% of final-year students — more than 2200 people — will graduate as normal.

“Of the 34 departments across the university, most have not been affected by the industrial action,” he continued.

“Already we have seen a hugely successful degree show for graduates at Duncan of Jordanstone College, with all of the work marked in the normal fashion.

“Since the AUT declined to put the 12.6% pay offer to its members, we have also seen some staff commit to marking exam papers as normal, which minimises the disruption to students.

“We are anticipating difficulties in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The Departments of Politics and Economic Studies, where a majority of staff are taking ‘action short of a strike’, are the worst affected. In some other parts of the faculty there will be no or minimal impact on students.

“The university has issued clear guidelines for examination boards and advice on how to deal with the grading of students who may be affected if the action short of a strike continues,” he went on.

“In the case of final year students, this may involve issuing provisional degree classifications, which will be reviewed and, if justified, revised upwards when all the assessments and examinations have been marked.”

At Abertay, a spokesman said, “All exams have gone ahead or are going ahead on schedule, with no changes as a result of the industrial action.

“All academic staff with marking duties have now confirmed to the university that they will carry out those duties within the next two weeks.

“This means that we expect all examination scripts and remaining assessments to be marked and moderated in good time for results to be disseminated in the normal way.”

A spokesman for St Andrews University said that all its exams are going ahead as planned, though a number of members of staff have indicated they are not prepared to mark papers.

The spokesman added that all final-year students who meet the required standard will graduate as usual in June, though some may have to receive unclassified degrees, as an interim measure. These could be reviewed once the marking has been completed.