Admin pushing for online exams, giving rise to confusion: JNU students

While officials of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Wednesday said they would allow students to pick their preferred mode of exam -- online or offline -- to

While officials of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Wednesday said they would allow students to pick their preferred mode of exam -- online or offline -- to complete the semester that has already stretched over by three months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, several students alleged that the administration was trying to “push” for online exams.

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Students said there was a lot of confusion with some schools and centres opting for the online mode while others are yet to take a call on it. In April, only five of the 13 schools in JNU and one of the five special centres had decided to conduct examinations online.

However, with educational institutions across the country continuing to remain shut owing to the pandemic, two of the largest schools in JNU -- the School of Social Sciences and School of International Studies -- also decided to switch to the online mode of exams.

According to the JNU administration, around five schools, including School of Computer and System Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and School of Management and Entrepreneurship, have already completed their exams online.

However, JNU students’ union (JNUSU) members said many students from these schools and centres have not been able to take the exams. JNUSU vice-president Saket Moon said, “The administration should issue a notification clarifying that the exams will be held again for those who were unable to appear for the online tests. There is so much confusion even within schools now -- some are conducting online exams while some are not,” he said.

Manisha, 23, a final-year MA student at the School of International Studies (SIS), said she won’t be able to take online exams as she doesn’t have a device or an internet connection. “With the school focussing on online exams, students like me will be left behind. They should promote all students on the basis of internal exam results. Why did the school earlier announce that it will conduct exams in the pen-and-paper mode? There is so much confusion at our school about the mode of exam,” she said.

Aswini Mohapatra, dean of SIS, said, “The decision to hold exams in the pen-and-paper mode was taken in April --when we thought that the Covid-19 situation might improve by July. Now, we have given students the option to choose their mode of exam. They can take exams online or wait for the university to reopen to take them offline,” he said.

A final-year MA student at the Centre for Media Studies, who wished not to be named, said he will also not be able to take exams online. “I do not know what will happen if I miss the exams. I might lose a year. The university should conduct exams for everyone together,” he said.

JNU registrar Pramod Kumar said, “Students need not worry. The university will give another chance to those who are unable to take online exams. It’s important to conduct online exams to complete the semester for those who immediately need degrees for higher education or jobs.”