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Impasse continues in Assam Univ as marathon meeting fails to resolve crisis; Registrar notifies to vacate the entrance
Offline classes for all courses in all semesters of the University departments shall remain suspended from 17 Feb: Registrar
Feb. 16: A group of Under Graduate (UG) students of Assam University, Silchar since Tuesday has been on a protest movement blocking the main entrance of the varsity in demand of conducting the Odd Semester examination in online mode. Repeated appeal by the University authority to sit for discussion was refused by the agitating students on Tuesday. Even the Vice Chancellor came near the main gate and tried to pacify the students, but in vain.
On Wednesday, the group of UG students continued their agitation thereby debarring all to enter into the campus. Dr PK Nath, Registrar of Assam University appealed to the students twice on Tuesday to send 5 of their representatives to sit for a dialogue, which was refused by the later. However, on Wednesday afternoon, the agitating students agreed to take part in the discussion with the authority. However, the students insisted on allowing 10 of their representatives in the meeting instead of 5, which was ofcourse accepted by the University authorities.
The meeting began at around 2.20 PM in 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, Proctor Dr Himadri Sekhar Das other senior faculty members took part. In the absence of the Dean of Students Welfare (DSW), Deputy DSW also participated in the meeting with 10 representatives of the agitating students. On being informed, Cachar district administration deputed a Magistrate to the meeting, but she left the campus within a few minutes on the ground that “it was an internal matter of the university.”
At the outset, 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 rather demanded that the online exam be conducted either through Google Meet platform or WhatsApp, which was again unacceptable to the University authorities. The University authorities were of the view that platforms like Google Meet are for conducting meeting or classes etc. but not at all for conducting online examinations.
After around 5 long hours of discussion, the delegation of the students agreed to the use of proctored online platform, but at the same time stated that such software should be bug-free. They highlighted that during the recently concluded entrance exam, there were serious issues with the proctored platform used by the university, for which students faced immense difficulties. In response to this, the Registrar and others agreed to purchase the best proctored software available and which is used and certified by other top universities of the country. They stated that such a full proof proctored software, if used, would be able to preserve the sanctity of the examination process.
It was then that the students’ representatives present in the meeting raised another issue. They demanded that re-evaluation of their proctored answer scripts should be allowed for they feared that injustice might be meted out to them in the exam for participating in the protest demonstration. It was then informed by the authorities present that as per a decision of the Academic Council, re-evaluation of answer scripts of all online examination conducted by Assam University was not allowed. However, the Vice Chancellor assured the students that he will ensure that no such discrimination will be done with them during the online exam. It was also intimated to them by the Proctor that they can very well apply for scrutiny in case they are not satisfied with their marks, but as per the existing rules, re-evaluation will not be allowed if the exam is conducted in online mode. The students were also assured that in order to maintain neutrality, their online scripts will be evaluated by neutral examiners.
However, the group of students present in the meeting did not agree to this and stick to their demand of allowing re-evaluation, if exams are conducted in online mode. After much deliberations, no solution could be reached and the meeting concluded at around 7.20 PM. However, the Registrar asked the students to convey to him their final decision after consulting with their co-students by 10 PM. However, since the filing of this report, the students did not inform anything to the Registrar.
Later on, while expressing their views, one of the students from those who were agitating informed that they would continue their protest by blocking the main gate of the university on Thursday also.
Meanwhile, late at night on Wednesday, Dr PK Nath, Registrar of Assam University issued a notification wherein he stated, “In view of ongoing blockade of the University main gate by a group of students demanding for holding the odd semester examination in online mode, the normal administrative and academic activities of the University has been gravely jeopardized. Despite earnest efforts, the stalemate could not be resolved after several rounds of discussion, deliberations and appeals to the concerned agitating students.”
He further added, “Under the compelling circumstances and after due consideration, the following directions are issued for necessary compliance by all concerned with immediate effect.
1. The blockade of the main entrance gate to the University or blockade in entry to other premises of the University is illegal. The University authority hereby designates the compound of Netaji Subhash Mukta Mancha as place of protests / dharnas etc., if any, hereafter.
2. Offline classes for all courses in all semesters of the University departments shall remain suspended wef 17.02.2022 until further order. However, Diphu campus of the varsity shall function as usual.
So as no solution of the issue could be arrived at, the students were learnt to have decided to continue their protest on Thursday. However, what seems to be watched here is whether they obey the orders served by the Registrar to shift their venue of protest or else they defy it. Whatever may be the outcome, but concerned citizens have aired the view that such kind of incidents definitely disrupts academic atmosphere of any institution.
