Parents and teachers have started opposing the obstinacy adopted by the Raj Bhawan to hold exams soon after lifting of lockdown. Parents fear spread of coronavirus as social distancing cannot be maintained if exams are conducted.
“We have been informed through media several times that examinations will be held immediately after the lockdown period. They will be completed in a week’s time and there will be no gap between two exams,” said Balvallabh Parashar, father of a college student.
“I too want the examinations be held but in the present scenario it will be high risk to send my child to a crowded exam centre,” he added. Not only Parashar, most of the parents hold the same view.
Earlier, the Collegiate Professors Association too had written a letter to the Governor and VC of Barkatullah University asking them not to hold exams in view of the coronavirus spread. President of the association, Kailash Tyagi said that it was difficult to maintain social distancing norms as distributing question papers, collecting answer sheets and taking attendance involve high risks.
Either the universities should delay the examination or conduct it online. When the UGC has recommended starting new session from September instead of July, then what is the hurry of organising exams now, said a professor posted in the Barkatullah University.
“I think one should go for organising online exams. If classes can be held online then why not the exams,” asked an IT professor from a private college. Now even the expert panel of UGC is contemplating on it, he added.
The UGC had also set up an experts committee headed by IGNOU vice chancellor Nageshwar Rao on online education. This panel is in favour of adopting online examinations in view of the educational infrastructure, the diverse range of higher education institutions and local influences. It said that universities should conduct online exams if they have available resources and infrastructure to do so. If not, universities can wait for the lockdown to get over and then decide a date for the exam.
The expert panel of the UGC had pointed out that the examinations could not be held as per the earlier schedule due to the lockdown. So, it suggested, the examinations at the end of the course or semester should now be held in July. The UGC will now plan the academic calendar and issue necessary guidelines for the coming session on the basis of the panel's recommendations.
