Demand for online exams rises

Nagpur: A day after the Supreme Court’s judgment on final year examinations, reactions continue to pour in from students and academics who are now demanding provision of online options by the universities to prevent them from getting infected.
According to them, it would help even the outstation students and those in containment areas to appear for exams without any fear and hassles. They also demanded deferring the exams till October so that the effects of the virus get reduced by that time and it would be safe to appear in exams.
Former NU management Council member Sanjay Khadakkar, who is now Academic Council member of Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU), reiterated that states should at least now explore the online option of conducting exams that he had suggested to chancellor BS Koshiyari initially.
“The value of a degree gets compromised if students are promoted without exams. It’s a populist and convenient option, but students would face an uncertain future.”
Students like Aniket Joshi feel that if autonomous colleges in the city can conduct online exams, why can’t universities do it? “Of course there would be problems, particularly in rural areas, but Covid-19 spread isn’t alarming there like in cities. The government should make arrangements at such places, but they must insist on online options. It will help not only for the current situation, but also for the future.”
Agreeing with him, electrical engineering student Karuna Tawade said online exam will be the best option as it would save them from the risk of getting contracted from the virus and also ensuring that students would get degrees only after clearing papers.
Om Paradkar from Hislop College said the apex court’s decision would ensure that students wouldn’t be promoted without exams, which is crucial for gauging their quality.
Electronics engineering student Siddarth Meshram said the authorities should now start preparations with full precautions. Both the students hailed the verdict and demanded that the exam timetable should be declared soon so that they could start preparations at earliest.
Some students are still sceptical about the apex court’s decision. “I think for non-professional courses like BA, BSc, and BCom, a little flexibility can be given and it should be left to students if they want to appear in papers or not,” BCom student from Centre Point College Shantanu Sathe said.
BA student from Hislop College Austin Coutinho said while Covid-19 cases are increasing in India, he was surprised by the UGC’s decision to conduct exams and risk health of lakhs of innocent students.
(With inputs from Anchal Bhatia)