Hyderabad: JNTU, Osmania students protest at Edu Minister’s home for postponing exams

Tension prevailed at Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy residence in Hyderabad as hundreds of students from Osmania and Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) staged a flash protest demanding postponement of engineering and degree exams. The protest was led by the Congress's students wing, National Students Union of India (NSUI). The students claimed that holding exams at this point of time is not viable as all the students are not yet completely vaccinated.

A large number of students took out a rally and gathered outside the minister's residence in Srinagar colony, before the police dispersed them. Police allowed NSUI Telangana unit president Venkat Balmoor and Congress leader Aamer Javeed to meet the minister. He gave a representation to her highlighting the potential problems that may emerge following the conducting of exams.
They demanded that the minister take an immediate decision on exams.

Sabitha Reddy, however, told them that no decision will be taken instantaneously. She assured them that the exam centres will be set up wherever the students desire. She said the Education Department is giving priority to students' wellbeing while making arrangements to conduct the exams.

With no assurance coming from the minister to postpone the exams, the students continued their protest near her residence. They raised slogans in support of their demand. The police then intervened to detain the protesters and shifted them to the Jubilee Hills Police Station.

The Banjara Hills police registered a case against Venkat Balmoor and two other NSUI leaders under sections 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 352 (punishment for use of criminal force or sudden provocation), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) of the IPC. They were later released after serving notice of appearance before police under section 41 of the CrPC.

Meanwhile, Telangana High Court on July 5 refused to intervene in the issue. The court refused to take up a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) for hearing. The petitioner's lawyer sought to move a lunch motion but the court declined to take it up. Pointing out that the exams started at 10 am on Monday, the court made it clear that it can't intervene to stop the exams. It wanted to know what the petitioner was doing till the last minute.

Degree and engineering exams under JNTU began on July 5 while the same under Osmania University are scheduled from July 6. At some exam centres, leaders of NSUI tried to stop candidates from appearing for exams. However, police intervened to arrest the protesters.

Speaking to TNM, Venkat Balamoor said, "The JNTU took the exam fee saying they would conduct online exams. But now, it is going back on its decision. The university should conduct online exams after due arrangements. If they want to hold physical exams, the government must complete the vaccination of all the students on priority basis."

Venkat added, "When the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation can hold a budget meeting online, how can the government force students to write physical exams in precarious conditions? We will further pursue the matter."

The state government has not conducted annual exams for SSC (class 10) and intermediate (class 11 and 12) due to COVID-19 situation. The students were declared pass and awarded grades on the basis of their internal assessment.

(With IANS inputs)