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Covid surge: AKTU defers Feb exams to March
I have given instructions to examination section to conduct first and second year exams in March now as Covid cases are quite high, said AKTU vice chancellor professor Pradeep Kumar Mishra
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU) has decided to postpone first and second year semester exams to March in view of surge in Covid cases. These exams were scheduled in February but now will be conducted in March, an official said.
“I have given instructions to examination section to conduct first and second year exams in March now as Covid cases are quite high,” said newly appointed AKTU vice chancellor professor Pradeep Kumar Mishra.
Controller of exams, AKTU, Anurag Tripathi said, “We are going to finalise everything related to exams by Monday and students will be properly informed through a circular. There are roughly 1.25 lakh students for whom the exam will now be held in March instead of February.”
The students, however, want university to hold online exam instead of offline in February itself because they fear that postponement of exam will further delay the session or will reduce duration of next semester to just two months instead of usual five to six months.
The university, however, has not decided whether to hold online or offline exam in March. The vice chancellor at time of assuming office earlier this month had told media persons that if Covid-19 cases remained high, the university will prefer to opt for online exam as holding offline exams especially at a time when Covid cases were on the rise across the state will put lives of students to risk.
Prof Mishra said, “Students’ health and their safety is paramount. I’m not in favour of offline exams in Covid-19 times,” he said. The V-C is likely to meet governor Anandiben Patel on Monday. On Saturday, the state government had extended closure of all educational institutions till January 30.
