For conducting exam in online mode, appeal should come from the Principals: COE

April 4: The deferred examination of TDC (CBCS) Odd Semester (1st, 3rd & 5th) will now be conducted in the month of April, 2021. The exam will begin on 8 April and come to an end on 15 May, 2021. Similarly, the deferred exam of B.Ed and LL.B will also take place from 6 April. As per a notification issued by the Controller of Examinations of Assam University, the said examinations will be conducted in offline mode.

However, reacting sharply against this, students of different colleges took to the streets on Saturday and raised the demand of conducting examinations in blended mode, that is, both in online and offline mode. On 3 April, students of different colleges assembled near the Khudiram Statue in Silchar with banners and posters in their hands. The agitating students sat on the middle of the road and blocked the road. Circle Officer of Silchar along with OC of Silchar Police Station intervened and tried to pacify the agitating students but in vain.

A delegation of the students also met the University authorities, but as per sources, no concrete outcome of the issue was found. Speaking to way2barak, Controller of Examinations of Assam University said, “It is the College Principals who conduct the examinations in favour of us. So the views of the Principal of the colleges is of utmost priority regarding conduct of examinations in online or offline mode. As the students have approached us, so it is quite natural that they have also approached the Principals. So the Principals should have to write or mail to us.”

“We have already prepared the exam schedule. But if we get email from the College Principals about conducting exam in online mode, then we will conduct a meeting of the Principals, wherein we will decide the future course of action. But if we get 1 or 2 mails, then in that case no meeting will be done and we will continue with the normal offline schedule of examination. Till now since yesterday, I have not received a single email from the Principals. B.Ed & LL.B examinations will begin from 6 April. We have also not received any communications from their Principals about conducting exam in online mode. So in that case we will proceed with the programme already finalised,” added the Controller of Examinations.

Reacting to this, Principal of GC College, said, “We are here to conduct the examinations as notified by the affiliating Assam university. In last semester too, the Academic Council of the varsity decided to conduct the exam in both online and offline mode and so we did it. In this case, the decision making authority is the university. So naturally, the students have appealed to the University to conduct their exam in online mode. The students have not written to the college Principals about it. So naturally, the decision has to be taken by Assam University and not by the College Principals. We will do as directed by the University.”

Reacting to this, one of the TDC student studying in GC College, Silchar said, “This is indeed ridiculous. The University and the College authorities both are involved in a game of passing the ball. In their clash, we the students are becoming victimised. We were told yesterday by many that now Coronavirus is no more, so why are we making demand for conducting exam in online mode. Going by that logic, we want to ask the Controller of Examinations that why are they now conducting the exam of PG students in the university campus in online mode? Is it not double standard exhibited by the University?”