Schools, centres free to choose their own mode of exams: JNU

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Wednesday allowed its schools and special centres to conduct examinations via their preferred mode—online, offline or a

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Wednesday allowed its schools and special centres to conduct examinations via their preferred mode—online, offline or a combination of both—given the ongoing lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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The winter semester was suspended midway in the University when the lockdown was announced on March 22. Ever since, there has been confusion over the completion of the semester and the mode of conducting examinations.

JNU registrar Pramod Kumar on Wednesday said that the deans of all the 13 schools and chairpersons of the five special centres were asked to send their recommendations on how to complete the academic year and conduct exams. “Each school and centre have given their own recommendation based on the needs of their students. The University has got these recommendations approved from its Academic Council (AC) online. It’s been decided to allow the schools and special centres to hold semester examinations via their preferred mode keeping in mind the difficulties following the normal academic calendar and the mode of conducting exams amid the lockdown,” he said.

As per the submitted recommendations, only five of 13 schools and one of the five special centres have decided to conduct examinations online.

Among the schools that approved the online mode of examinations are School of Environmental Sciences, School of Computational and Integrative Sciences, School of Physical Sciences, School of Engineering and School of Management and Entrepreneurship. Besides, the Special Center for the Study of North-East India has also decided to hold online exams.

Meanwhile, the largest schools in the University, including the School of Social Sciences, School of International Studies, School of Language Literature and Cultural Studies and School of Arts and Aesthetics, have recommended the extension of the semester and holding classes after the lockdown is lifted. “Four to six weeks of teaching and personal engagement is essential to conclude the semester, whenever the lockdown ends. Examinations will be held at the end of that period,” School of Arts and Aesthetics said in its recommendations.

The School of International Studies said that it would decide the mode only after May. “This matter may be deferred until May and depending on the situation, the school may either opt for the regular mode of examinations or online examinations. In the case of online examinations, course teachers may opt for open-book examinations or additional home assignments or provide a set of questions with the choice of attempting two or three. And in case of the regular mode of examinations, the evaluation process may be completed by the first week of August,” it said in the submitted recommendations.

The JNU Teacher’s Association (JNUTA), meanwhile, rejected the move, saying that the administration had not followed the due process to get it approved from the Academic Council. “Not all members of the AC received this mail and neither did the JNUTA President or Secretary (it may be recalled that the University had not invited the JNUTA even for the previous meeting of the AC held on 6 February 2020). Further, instead of any opportunity for deliberation, AC members were only given the option of approving the agenda and that too in just a day,” the teachers’ body said.

JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) vice president Saket Moon said that they reject the decision and said that the union members had not been asked for approval either.