B’pur ITI students protest online exam

Students of the Brahmapur Industrial Training Institute (ITI) have resorted to an agitation since last Friday, protesting the proposed online system of examination.

Though the students are demanding not to implement the online system of examination, they are unheeded, alleged the agitating students.

Being aggrieved over the decision of the authorities to implement online system of examination, a delegation of fourth semester students reportedly went in a procession by holding placards on hand and met the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Southern Range) and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Minister of Skill Development and Technical Education here on Friday demanding a rollback of the decision.

According to information available, the authorities had earlier reportedly notified that the students shall have to appear off-line examination on August 13, 14 and 16, but a few days before the decision was changed all of a sudden and the examination was rescheduled from September 3 to 7 through online mode.

The agitating students have argued that they have never been imparted any hands-on training about the online system of examination and moreover, a large number of examinees are quite ignorant about the use of computer.

Without proper planning and without giving hands-on practical training on use of computers, the students will face a lot of difficulties if online system of examination is introduced, they said.

Sources said that the institute authorities are contemplating to hand over the task of conducting the online examination to a private firm.

The agitating students cited the recent chaotic situation and irregularities noticed in the semester examinations of the Berhampur University forcing the students to take to streets.

The students also alleged that the ITI authorities are trying to sabotage their peaceful agitation by threatening them.

The Principal had asked the agitating students to submit their complaint to the district Collector, after which the students reportedly submitted a memorandum addressed to the Collector through their Principal on Thursday last, sources said.

However, according to college sources, only a few students having back-papers are protesting the online system of examination.