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Dialogue fails to pacify students even on 3rd day of agitation, stalemate continues in Assam University
Feb. 17: “It’s now no more an issue of offline versus online. Rather it is now a movement of students versus University administration. The Registrar has moved away from what he earlier promised to us. If you support us, do come out to extend your support to. All the departments will come with us in full strength. We won’t anymore go for a dialogue with the administration, but instead from now, they should come down to us for any discussion. The Registrar agreed to all our terms and conditions, but in the evening when we went to take the final assurance, he refused to have said so and rather asked us to bring the mandate of all the students in support of our demand. Now we will see who has more power- the students or the administration.” This is the transcript of a viral audio clip circulated in social media platforms on Thursday, wherein a student was heard to make a general appeal to all students of the University.
It needs mention here that the Under Graduate (UG) students of Assam University since Tuesday has been on a protest movement blocking the main entrance of the varsity in demand of conducting the Odd Semester exam in online mode. Multiple rounds of talk between the students and the university authorities since the last three days have failed to yield any solution. After the marathon meeting with the students failed on Wednesday, Dr PK Nath, Registrar of Assam University issued a notification, wherein he stated that the blockade of the main entrance gate to the University or blockade in entry to other premises of the University is illegal and rather asked them to shift to the compound of Netaji Subhash Mukta Mancha.
However, on Thursday, the group of students defying the orders of the Registrar sat once again for agitation blocking the entrance to the main gate of the University. It was expected that the University authorities would obstruct the students from doing so, but nothing of that sort happened. As a result, normal functioning of the University was hampered for the 3rd consecutive day. Out of the many viral messages in social media on Thursday, one such message by the students stated, “If according to notice blocking of University gate is illegal why they didn’t take action today plus compared to yesterday less students came today . It is because we are right and they can’t do anything…”
As per sources, rounds of talk took place between the representatives of the agitating students and the Assam University authorities on Day 3 of the protest movement at the Old Guest House of Assam University, which was chaired by the Vice Chancellor Prof. RM Pant. On behalf of the University, Registrar Dr.PK Nath, Controller of Examination Dr S Dutta Roy, Deputy Proctor, Dean of Students’ Welfare (DSW), other senior faculty members took part.
On Wednesday, the authorities of Assam University agreed to conduct the UG Odd Semester Exam in blended mode (both online & offline). However, they added that the online exams will be conducted by means of a proctored software. A proctored software allows the examination conducting body to monitor online the students so that no unfair means could be adopted. It was here that the students raised severe objection and refused to appear in proctored online examination. They stated that such a full proof proctored software, if used, would be able to preserve the sanctity of the examination process. But the students demanded that the online exam be conducted either through Google Meet platform or WhatsApp. The issue of re-evaluation of online answer scripts became a major bone of contention.
On Thursday, these and several other allied issues came up for discussion among the students and the University authorities. After prolonged discussion, the students were learnt to have agreed to the proctored mode of online examination. At a time, when it was thought that the problem would be solved, just then another argument started on the issue of date of commencement of the Odd Semester Examination. The University authorities then informed the students that it would take atleast 45 days to begin the examination, because the process of procuring a full proof proctored software is a lengthy process. Therefore, the exam would begin in the month of April.
This was resented by the students, who stated that if online exams are held after 45 days, that is, in the month of April, then it would be a matter of great loss because then their next semester would be further deferred. It was on this ground that the students raised the demand that their odd semester exam should be conducted by 31 March. The University authorities argued that they shall have to follow the government laid policies while making any purchase. For purchasing a proctored online examination software, they have to call for a tender which involves giving advertising for it. Then the vendors shall have to be given adequate time to submit the tenders. Following which, the tenders will be opened and work will be allotted. This would be followed by development of the software to tailor the needs of the university, which would then have to be tested to ensure compatibility and error free so that justice can be given to the students. However, finally, a somewhat agreement was reached between the students and the administration on these issues.
When things reached almost to an amicable stage, what happened suddenly that led to the students to give a call for much more vigorous protest on Friday? If the viral audio tape circulated by the students is to be believed, then they alleged that the Registrar asked them whether their demand of online mode of exam was supported by all the students of the university. The student in the viral audio clip was heard to say that in order to prove the mandate in favour of them, they have asked all students to join them in their protest movement on Friday.
However, the tug of war between online and offline examination in the university campus has become a major issue of discussion among the people of Barak Valley. Many have expressed anguish at the present state of happenings. “It’s not about supporting the students or the authority, but rather it speaks volume of mindset which guides our present society. On one hand, decision making process by the authority needs to be more explicit, so that it sends a clear & loud message to the stake holders and at the same time, students need to know their Lakshman Rekha,” wrote a gentleman beneath a post of the present happenings in the university on Facebook.
