Outstation students raise concerns, seek clarity on final-year examinations

A week after the state government issued directions for conducting physical examinations for final-year undergraduate and post-graduate students in universities

A week after the state government issued directions for conducting physical examinations for final-year undergraduate and post-graduate students in universities and colleges in the state, both students and principals await clarity on various aspects of the examinations that are supposed to take place from July 1 onwards. Students living outside the city, in particular, have expressed their apprehensions regarding the exams as city hostels remain closed and options for public transport are still limited.

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Universities and colleges have been asked to conduct all terminal exams by July 31 and declare the results by August 7. As per the government guidelines, issued on June 12, hostels in colleges will continue to remain closed. Students, outside the state, especially women students, have informed their principals that in the absence of hostels, looking for accommodation in the city would be difficult.

Laxmi Bai, a final-year student at Government Girls College, Sector 14, said that commuting for exams would be difficult for outstation students like her. The Mahendragarh resident used to stay at the college hostel prior to the lockdown. “The guidelines mention that hostels will continue to remain closed throughout the exam period. We will have to commute for each paper which will be a challenging task in the absence of public transport. Not everyone owns a vehicle,” said Laxmi.

Pooja Khullar, principal, Dronacharya Government College, said that the college had raised various concerns and shared around 30 suggestions regarding the guidelines with the higher education department. “Hostels are closed in all colleges while exams are scheduled to take place in July. All college administrators have pointed out the concerns raised by women students from different districts. We don’t know where they will stay. Most women students have also said that their parents wouldn’t allow them to travel alone during the pandemic with little public transport,” said Khullar.

She said that were many challenges regarding physical examinations and with very little time remaining, the college was awaiting more clarity so that it can plan ahead.

Satyamanyu Yadav, principal of Government College in Sector 9, also said that he had written to the department seeking the date sheet and clarity on exam centres which would allow outstation students to plan ahead of time.

Officials from the higher education department couldn’t be reached for comment.