Bangalore North University postpones exam due to COVID-19 surge

Bangalore North University on Sunday notified its students that it has postponed its semester examinations until further notice. The postponement comes after many students from a college affiliated with the varsity had been urging authorities to postpone the examination citing the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka. 

A student of Bengaluru North University's Montfort College of Psychology, who was to appear for the semester three exam, told TNM that the exams were postponed at the last minute. "The university at last postponed the exam citing pressure from parents and students. We received the notice on Sunday at 8 pm. A new date hasn't been declared yet. However, we are told that the exams will likely be conducted in May."

The students had also reasoned that Bangalore University had postponed all under-graduate, post-graduate and engineering examinations that were scheduled to begin on April 19 in the wake of the RTC workers’ strike and subsequently expressed fears of contracting COVID-19 while appearing for exams that were scheduled to happen between April 19 and April 24. 

Students of different colleges and universities across the city were appealing for postponement of the exam. Bangalore Student Community, a collective of students, wrote to Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa asking for a cancellation of the exam and in another letter addressed to Karnataka Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar, asked for vaccination on a priority basis against COVID-19. 

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan had on April 12 announced that all university-level examinations, including graduation, post-graduation, engineering, diploma and other courses, would be conducted as scheduled.

Examinations across the nation were postponed owing to the spike in COVID-19 cases. While CBSE Class 10 board exams were cancelled, Class 12 board exams were postponed. Similarly, ICSE postponed its board exams for Class 10 and Class 12. Entrance exams like NEET, JEE (Main) April Session 2021 were postponed too.