Student organisations oppose Panjab University’s plan to conduct examinations in July

SFS, NSUI, SFI and SATH issue statements opposing the move

After the Panjab University (PU) announced guidelines for conducting the semester examinations in July this year, various student organisations of the varsity have issued statements opposing the move.

SFI conducted a survey on the issue in which 4,036 students of the university participated: 79.6% students said that examinations should not be held.(HT FILE)

Students For Society (SFS), in their statement, said only partial information had been released leading to confusion among the students. They added that it was not clear whether the hostels that were converted into Covid wards would be free soon. “Where will the hostellers stay during the course of the examinations?” the members asked in the statement.

National Students Union of India (NSUI)’s PU president Nikhil Narmeta said, “How can the university assure that norms will be followed outside the examination centres and students coming from other states will be quarantined first after coming here? We have been raising our concerns, but we are not getting any response.”

SFI CONDUCTS SURVEY

The PU unit of Students Federation of India (SFI) conducted a survey in which 4,036 students of the university participated. Over 83% students thought the university was not well-equipped to protect the students against coronavirus, and 79.6% students said that examinations should not be held. “Majority of the students are against conducting examinations in July,” said Abhilash Rajkhowa of SFI.

SATH, another student organisation of PU, demanded that examinations should not be held for this semester, and that any decision in this regard should be taken after consulting the student bodies and educational experts.

SENATOR WRITES TO V-C

Meanwhile, a PU senator, Jagdish Mehta, has written to the vice-chancellor seeking cancellation of all semester examinations. “In this time of fear, anxiety and insecurity, students are not mentally prepared to appear in examinations,” Mehta said in the letter.

President of Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) Chetan Chaudhary said, “I have discussed the matter with the controller of examinations, and have been assured that examinations will be conducted only when a safe situation prevails.”