Bihar: College asks students to use phone torch to write exam amid power crisis

Students were angry at the college authorities’ failure in providing proper arrangements for them to write their exams with some calling it a ‘cruel joke’

Students of a prominent college in Bihar’s Munger city were allegedly allowed to write exams using their mobile phone torchlight. The incident was reported from RD & DJ College, Munger on Wednesday when the power had tripped due to inclement weather and the college generator was not functioning either.

Bihar: College asks students to use phone torch to write exam amid power crisis

“We were writing our answers when suddenly the power was cut and we were left in darkness as it was raining,” an examinee identified as Ashutosh Mishra said.

“After the administration failed in starting the generator, they ordered us to use our mobile torch to write answers”, Mishra added.

“But it was not easy to handle a mobile phone with one hand writing answers by using the other hand,” he said.

Another examinee without disclosing his identity said, “The college and university here are playing a cruel joke with students.”

During the ongoing BA Part I examination on Wednesday, students were writing their subsidiary paper History when it started raining heavily because of which the electricity supply got disrupted.

Later, the college administration tried to operate the generator to no avail as it had developed a snag.

“We were helpless after our generator could not start and even we tried and called a mechanic to rectify the snag but it could not be started”, centre superintendent Sanjay Bharti said adding, “We asked the examinees to use their mobile torch as ongoing examinations could not be postponed.”

He, however, remained tight-lipped over the ban of using mobile torches inside the examination hall.

On being asked why it was not an unfair means while carrying mobile phones inside the examination hall, he said, “We were helpless.”

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad member Vickky Anand said, “The University is creating sorts of records in bad things”.

“The university is neither prompt in conducting examinations timely nor regularising sessions”, he alleged.

On the other hand, examination controller of Munger University, Ram Ashish said, “Centre superintendent has been served show cause notice and we are waiting for his explanation.”

He said, “All the colleges have been asked to provide alternative arrangements of light in case power is cut during examinations.”

He expressed displeasure over mobile phones being carried by examinees inside the examination centres.