Centre may provide two-week buffer for JNU exams, students find innovative methods to finish syllabus

New Delhi

New Delhi

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Officials of Union HRD miistry on Wednesday assured JNU students’ union of recommending a two-week buffer time to conduct end-semster examinations if a decision to roll-back the hostel fee hike is taken by the administration.

The move comes after students of the varsity decided to boycott the examinations scheduled to take place from Thursday.

“Our initial demand was of a buffer time of three weeks but officials have said they would talk to the administration on postponing the exams by two weeks. We were asked to call off our agitation based on verbal assurances. But, we have asked for the same in writing,” said Satish Chandra Yadav, JNUSU general secretary, adding that if examinations were to be held tomorrow (Thursday), the boycott will continue.

“There were issues that weren’t touched upon today. For instance, the new hostel manual doesn’t contain details on the allocation of hostel seats as per reservation. That has been a major concern of all students,” he said.

While the students have refrained from attending classes and sitting for exams for over a month in protest against the revised hostel manual, they have been devising other ways and means to ensure that they do not lose out on their lessons. These methods include study circles, informal lectures and seniors mentoring juniors.

“Students study in the schools through the night and in the library during the day,” said 22-year old Anshul, a Masters student in English at the university. “We have decided to not fulfil academic expectations — like examinations, internals and viva. But that does not mean that we will not study,” he added.

Vaibhav Prakash (25), a MA Sociology student said, “Initially, when the protests started, our professors were informally taking a few classes in the gardens and the badminton court on our request. However, that could not be conitinued for too long. Now, we have formed a study group called ‘collective academic forum’ wherein any batchmate who has studied a topic properly informs us and then we gather in any of the hostels to discuss it.”

Despite the lockdown on classes, few professors have been taking informal classes as well. “JNU is a research university. There are no restrictions on learning here even when classes are not held,” said Sharad Baviskar, professor of French studies. “Yesterday, I held a lecture on a French philosopher with about 20 students from different departments underneath a tree in the campus. Several more joined in the process,” he said.

At the same time, many students are also worried about the way the protests have progressed and how it might hamper their studies. “We are now in a dilemma since the protests have become disintegrated. We want fees to be rolled back and at the same time we don’t want the student community to miss classes. Even if examinations are held, fact remains that students could not learn anything for an entire semester,” said Robin (30), a Phd scholar in the department of International Relations.

Meanwhile, Rector 1 Chintamani Mahapatra on Wednesday asked all deans and chairpersons to adopt an alternative evaluation process for foreign students. “We have received representations from foreign students regarding the problems faced by the casual and terminal students, whose visa validity period are about to expire. In order to facilitate the evaluation of their courses, it is only appropriate that an alternative evaluation process be adopted,” he said.

JNU’s International Students’ Association said they had been coordinating with all stakeholders — including the administration — for an alternative method of evaluation. “Under the present circumstances we wanted to ensure that evaluations of international students at least is done on time because our problems are different from our local students. Non-evaluation would lead to problems like visa extension and financial issues for foreign students,” said Kim Ju Ho, ISA president.

Inset

A scuffle also broke out on campus on Wednesday with ABVP and Left groups accusing each other of beating up students. “The JNUSU brings to your attention that orchestrated violence has been unleashed by the ABVP on students in JNU,” the students’ body said ina statement. ABVP denied the allegations, blaming “Left activists of inflicting violence on those who wanted to appear for their examination.”

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