Engg students demand to postpone exam on Jan 1 considering road closures

The police have already announced traffic diversions to curb the congestion in the area in the wake of grand-scale celebrations held on Ahmednagar Highway near Perne Phata.

Students of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) affiliated Engineering Colleges on Ahmednagar Road have asked the authorities to defer the exam scheduled for January 1, 2024.

Considering the huge crowds that attend the Koregaon Bhima anniversary celebrations, students claim that it would be tricky for them to make their way to the examination centres. (HT PHOTO)

On Monday, January 1, the SPPU has scheduled the examination for second-year engineering students in two sessions. However, considering the huge crowds that attend the Koregaon Bhima anniversary celebrations, students claim that it would be tricky for them to make their way to the examination centres, considering the road closures and diversions enacted by traffic police.

“I am staying near Wagholi and my engineering examination is on Monday at one of the nearby engineering colleges on Ahmednagar Road. As the entire road leading towards Ahmednagar will be blocked on Monday, it would be nearly impossible for me to reach the college to appear for the exam. So, the exam should be cancelled and taken at a later date,” said Mandar Jadhav, a second-year engineering student.

The police have already announced traffic diversions to curb the congestion in the area in the wake of grand-scale celebrations held on Ahmednagar Highway near Perne Phata.

Prof Keshav Mhatre from an engineering college in Ahmednagar district said, “There are two examination slots on January 1, for second-year engineering students which is between 10 am to 12.30 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm. For the colleges that are on Ahmednagar Road, it would be impossible to hold the examination due to this event, considering road barricading and diversions. Accordingly, we have demanded the university to postpone Monday’s exam paper.”

Talking about the issue, one of the senior officials from the SPPU admin department on condition of anonymity said, “We are trying to postpone the exam, but no official announcement has been made yet. If some students miss the exam due to traffic-related issues on Ahmednagar Road, we will consider their inconvenience and will reconduct their exams.”