Punjabi University, college students demand online exams, hold protest

Tribune News Service

Patiala, July 19

Claiming that physical classes for various courses were not held for ongoing semesters, students of Punjabi University and its affiliated colleges have demanded that the university should hold semester exams through online mode. University and Government Mohindra College students today held a protest on the campus over their demands and submitted a memorandum to the university Dean (Academic affairs).

The protest was held after the university in a recent circular stated that classes for courses, which had lab work, would be held offline. Exams, which were to begin from August 23, would also be held through offline mode, the circular added.

Jaswinder Singh, an MA (English) student at Government Mohindra College said, “The university has not held offline classes in the present semester. In fact, classes in colleges for most courses have not been held at all even through online mode. Therefore, students have not been taught, but the university wants to conduct offline exams after holding physical classes for a month. This way, students will fail in exams and the university will collect funds for compartment exams.”

“Earlier too, offline classes have never been held. Students have answered question papers during previous semester exams by cheating. It is a well-known fact,” he added.

Students led by Punjab Student Union (Lalkar) in a memorandum submitted to the university Dean (Academic affairs) pointed out that their classes were not held even through the online mode. “We also did not do practical work in labs. On the other hand, the UGC guidelines state that students of intermediate classes should be promoted or else exams should be held through online mode,” he added.

Students demanded that the university roll back its decision of holding offline exams else they would intensify their protests.