BJP hits out at govt for unrealistic pre-conditions for BPUT online exam

Bhubaneswar: The BJP youth wing leaders on Friday criticized the state government and the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) for issuing unrealistic requirements for its undergraduate and postgraduate students who are about to appear for the end-semester examination online from July 9.
Talking to reporters, Irasis Acharya, president of the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), said it is difficult for a person using mobile internet to get 1Mbps bandwidth speed in rural and semi-urban areas. “Forget about rural areas, some areas in the state capital too have net issues. The three hour of uninterrupted power supply during the monsoon is a myth. Power cuts are reported from near the energy minister’s residence too,” he added.
Acharya said the students staying outside the state will face more problems because BPUT has not made any arrangement for their online examination. The students living in containment zones cannot appear for the test. “Many students do not have laptops/desktops and other specifications to appear for the test. If they want to appear for it, they will have to travel to cities or towns amid restrictions. The company, which is helping BPUT hold this test, has a bad reputation. Keeping the rising Covid cases in mind, it is the duty of the state to keep it’s students safe instead of creating chaos in computer centres,” he added.
The youth wing demanded an alternative method of evaluation for the end-semester examination. “If the government wants to continue with the test, it should allow some relaxations in the several pre-conditions for students to appear for the exam,” they added.
Pradipta Kumar Naik, leader of the opposition, wrote a letter to skill development and technical education minister Premananda Nayak to postpone the BPUT online examination amid the pandemic. “Several institutes across the country have decided to declare the final year/semester results on the basis of the performance of the previous semesters/years. BPUT can also do that instead of holding examinations,” he added.
Students on Friday staged a demonstration in front of the BPUT office in Rourkela demanding an alternative method of evaluation to publish results like the state higher education department. They have been opposing the idea of online examination.
Minister Premananda Nayak said they have two alternatives for the students. Either they can appear for the online test or sit for the offline test after the opening of educational institutions in the state. “If any student fails to appear for the online test, s/he can take the offline examination,” he added.
He said they have decided to hold the online examination keeping the Covid-19 situation in mind. “Online examinations and studies are the future for us. We have started it from this year. I think students will not face any problems,” he added.