The departments of Panjab University (PU) have been asked to conduct all academic activities for Afghan students who are stuck in their home country in online mode.
The decision has been taken based on a recommendation by a varsity panel which included dean international students (DIS), Deepti Gupta, which has been approved by the dean university instruction (DUI). The decision was taken after the Afghan students informed them about the delay in receiving their visas.
The members of the committee resolved that the students be allowed to continue attending classes online till they get their visas. There are over 100 Afghan students enrolled in different varsity departments, with around 80 students at University Institute of Applied Management Sciences (UIAMS) and one affiliated college. They have been unable to return to India since the country’s takeover by the Taliban last year.
The students had been requesting PU to extend online teaching for them as they are worried about missing out on their education.
It is learnt that the university has decided that the end-semester examination of foreign students will be held in offline mode. In view of this, UIAMS has also conveyed to Afghan students that their MSTs and internals will also be conducted at that time.
However, the students have apprehensions about attending the physical exams at the varsity. “We appreciate the efforts taken by the university, but what if the students can’t return when the end semester exams are held? The university should also consider this matter on humanitarian grounds, so that Afghan students can also take the exams,” said Abdul Monir Kakar, a representative of Afghan students in Chandigarh.
{{/usCountry}}However, the students have apprehensions about attending the physical exams at the varsity. “We appreciate the efforts taken by the university, but what if the students can’t return when the end semester exams are held? The university should also consider this matter on humanitarian grounds, so that Afghan students can also take the exams,” said Abdul Monir Kakar, a representative of Afghan students in Chandigarh.
{{/usCountry}}PU’s dean University instruction (DUI) Renu Vig, said, “The semester exams are scheduled to be held in June and we are hoping that they will be able to come back by then. If not, we will review the matter.”