Students Cry Out As IPU Releases Datesheet For Physical Exams From 22nd June

I was sitting at home, watching a YouTube tutorial for making Madhubani paintings when I got the news regarding examinations. Though I had been interested in painting since forever, studies kept me held up. Lockdown seemed like the perfect opportunity to brush up on forgotten skills. However, I won’t be able to go ahead with it, thanks to my university.

I am a student of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi. It seems that my University isn’t only indifferent to lack of proper education facilities during lockdown but they have the least regard for the well being of the students during the coronavirus pandemic.

What Has Happened?

We are all aware that coronavirus is a communicable disease, the cure of which is unknown. Considering this, various colleges and universities are conducting online exams or have cancelled them for good.

However, IPU seems unaffected. IPU must be assuming that their students are super-humans who won’t catch the virus otherwise they wouldn’t have released the proposed date sheet for physical end term exams starting from 1st July 2020.

Yes, you heard me right.

On May 5, 2020, the university had released a notice stating that in case there would be physical end term exams, they would be 2 hours long, unlike the usual 3 hours and all norms of social distancing and sensitization will be duly followed.

Considering the rising cases of COVID-19 in May, the students hadn’t paid heed to the possibility of physical exams. Their belief was shattered by the latest notice that has been issued by the university. The notice mentions that the exams will start from 1st July 2020.

Since the duration of the exams will be 2 hours, the students are presuming that the exams will be held physically and not virtually.

Read Also: GGSIPU Raises Fee In Retrospective Effect, Students Unhappy

What Is Wrong With Exams?

Travelling- 

In IPU, the end term examinations are conducted at a center that isn’t the home college. Therefore, they have to travel using personal vehicle and public transport to reach the exam center.

Contemplating that all students can’t afford private modes of transport and owing to the increased exposure to the virus, carpool or use of public transport isn’t an option, students are left dumbstruck.

Social Distancing- 

The exam centers may or may not be well sanitized and despite ensuring social distancing inside the classrooms, the same cannot be ensured outside the gates of the college where students are forced to stand.

The rule is that students aren’t allowed entry in the center before the stipulated time, thus students have to wait outside. Practicing social distancing is impossible in such a situation.

Also, the exam sheets and other things like washrooms facilities and water-dispensers are touched by many people, exposing students to greater risk.

Books and Study Material-

Various students who hail from places outside Delhi-NCR have returned to their homes. Since no one was aware of the duration of lockdown, some of these outstation students didn’t carry books and other study material with them.

Some even have low internet availability. Thus, they are not in a position to prepare for exams.

This point has been given zero thought by the university. And how will they travel back incase they are not in the city?

Containment Zone:

Various students are in containment zones and the possibility that amongst the thousands of students who study in IPU, some students may be quarantined cannot be ruled out.

Since travel from containment zone is not allowed and home quarantined shouldn’t travel in any case, the decision of the university isn’t well thought out.

Taking into note all these issues, most of the students studying in colleges affiliated by IPU are questioning the decision and making efforts to get the exams cancelled on legitimate grounds.

Though a grievance cell has been put in place to address the problems raised by students, their replies are generic and vague. The authorities aren’t answering the questions of students, further confusing them.

Various students have taken to social media platforms like Twitter to discuss these issues and gain public attention.

While students are already suffering due to various personal and professional reasons during the lockdown, while pursuing courses and compulsory internship, the notification regarding examination has left students confused and unclear about the actions of the university.

The university should consider these issues that the students are raising to ensure that injustice doesn’t happen and lives aren’t risked.

Image Sources: Twitter

Sources: Twitter, GGSIPU, Mumbai Mirror

This post is tagged under: college exams, online, offline, at the centers, physical exams, IPU, cancel exams, third year students, notifications, #IPUcancelexams, students, written to authorities, indraprastha university, guru gobind singh indraprastha university, end term exams, website, datesheet, 2 hour long, coronavirus

The identity of the writer has been contained in order to ensure safety.

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