Students of Government Degree College in this border town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday demanded to change the mode of examination from offline to online in view of coronavirus pandemic.
A notification issued by the Principal reads, “The BG 3rd semester (Batch 2018) and backlog candidates of (Batch 2016 and 2017) whose paper of Physics and Skills Enhancement courses was postponed due to lockdown in March 2020 will appear in the missing paper from 31st August 2020 onwards”.
The second notification reads, “The BG 2nd semester (Batch 2019), and backlog candidates of (2016, 2017 and 2018) and BG 4th semester (Batch 2018) and backlog candidates of (Batch 2016 and 2017) that students should prepare themselves for an offline examination”.
The students said that conducting the offline exams in this pandemic will pose a serious threat to their lives. “Currently, conducting exams offline is not a solution. It will put the lives of students in danger as the number of cases increases daily,” said a student.
“I have to come from Boniyar which is 20 kilometers away from Uri town and also there is no public transport available,” said another student, adding: “We demand that our exams should be conducted through the online mode only”.
The examination of all the announced semesters is scheduled to commence from 31st August till 10th September.
Syed Tanveer Andrabi, Principal GDC Uri said that the decision was taken in view of non-availability to Internet facility to many students.
“We will call them in groups and proper SOPs will be followed,” he said.