With final semester examinations of undergraduate and post-graduate courses scheduled to start on September 15, Mangalore University is virtually taking the examinations on the doorsteps of students this time in the face of the COVID-19 situation.
Students from outside who cannot take to the examinations for 2019-20 on the university campus and in their respective colleges due to COVID-19 factors can appear for the examinations in Bhutan, Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir and on Lakshadweep Islands.
The university has tied up with the Programme Officer, Scholarship and Student Support Division under the Ministry of Education, Bhutan; the Manipur University, a Central university at Imphal; the University of Kashmir, Srinagar; and the Department of Education, Union Territory of Lakshadweep to conduct the examinations for some students in those places, P.L. Dharma, Registrar (Evaluation), Mangalore University, told The Hindu.
Vice-Chancellor P.S. Yadapadithaya, the Syndicate, the highest decision-making body of the university and the deans of respective faculties have approved of this initiative as a one-time measure, he said.
Mr. Dharma said that 20 students will write the examinations in Manipur University, six students in Lakshadweep, two in the University of Kashmir and three students will appear for the examinations in Bhutan. He said that the scanned version of the question papers will be e-mailed to those four examination centres outside the State only after the examinations in Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri and its colleges in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kodagu districts begins. The first page of the answer book will have the scanned version of the certified page provided by the university to the heads of those examination centres/institutes. All other pages will have to be certified by the authorised respective heads in those centres.
Students in those centres can download their hall tickets online.
Mr. Dharma said that 205 of the 208 colleges in three districts under the university have been considered as examination centres as a one-time measure. It is to help students reduce their movement in view of COVID-19.
He said that many post-graduate students who stayed in hostels on the Mangalagangotri campus of Mangalore University at Konaje need not come to campus to write the examinations. Arrangements have been made for them to appear for the examinations in identified colleges in the three districts.
“We are taking the examinations on the doorsteps of students this time with the help of all teachers,” he said and added that the teachers have played a pivotal role in it. Mr. Yadapadithaya said that if some final semester students are not able to attend the examinations now, examinations will be conducted for them one more time in January next. And, they will still be considered freshers. It won’t be supplementary examinations for such students.