I am a final year computer science and engineering student of the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU). On 28 August 2020, the Supreme Court made a decision stating that it was mandatory for the exams to be held.
Acknowledging the decision, GGSIPU circulated a notice on 12 September that the exams will be conducted in an offline mode 21 September 2020 onwards.
This contradicts their previous circular issued on 4 May 2020, where they had stated that if the colleges and the universities do not open until 20 July, they would conduct the exams online, which would have multiple choice and assignment-based questions. However, now they have removed the notice from their official website.
(The Quint has access to the document).
Confusion Over Exam Patterns and Practicals
Not only are the exams being conducted offline but also their patterns have been changed. The intimation about such changes have not been conveyed to the students or the teachers.
Furthermore, the university has scheduled practicals for engineering students, starting four days after the exams end, i.e., from 30 September to 6 October. It seems like they want the students to fall sick by unnecessarily stretching the exams to half a month and exposing them to the virus.
There is no way one can tell who might be a carrier of the virus. The only way of finding out are temperature checks in the examination halls. The students have been told to carry our own masks and sanitizers. Under such circumstances, they have to appear for the exams every day and are two hours long.
Some students of other colleges were also asked to collect admit cards from the university when one of them turned out to be COVID-19 positive.
Delay in Results, Marksheets Add to Students’ Woes
For the exams scheduled to begin at 8:30 am, day scholars need to find transportation as early as 6.30 am to travel from different parts of Delhi and reach the examination centre by 8.15 am. Most of them have to pay at least Rs 1,000 per day for their commute. Others, who cannot avail such facilities, have to choose various modes of transport, risking their as well as their families’ lives.
Additionally, there has been a delay in declaring results in the past. The result for the exams held in December 2019 was declared in the month of July 2020, which cost students an entire year.
I lost my placement offer because I failed to present my documents and marksheets. This was due to the negligence of the university. The last marksheet I received from the university was from the fifth semester completed in December 2018.
Most importantly, no reservations have been made for those students who have tested positive of COVID-19, and they are not allowed to take the exams.
‘Lack of Empathy from the College’
I am scared to be tested before the exam, lest I am not allowed to appear for any reason. Being an outstation student, I am currently living in a hotel in Noida and consuming food prepared outside. Although I am taking all the precautions I can, there is no way I can prevent getting the virus.
I have already had a career setback because of the lack of empathy from the college as well as the coronavirus pandemic.
Furthermore, the university has increased the academic fees at the end of session and are asking the students to deposit the fees in order to be permitted to appear for the exams which are to be held now.
Due to the pandemic, many students feel the financial strain on their families to arrange for the fees in such a short notice, as not all students are monetarily stable.
We have already appeared for our internal practicals online in May. We could have done the same with external practicals, too. Moreover, more than 50 percent to 55 percent evaluation of the practicals has already been done through assignments, presentations, lab files, projects, research papers, viva, etc.
I had to cancel non-refundable flight tickets twice before. I have not been able to book my return tickets as the university issues notices that change the entire schedule of exams in a day’s time. All we are looking for is some clarity and that the college pays heed to our concerns.
The above-mentioned issues are bound to affect all the students mentally, physically and financially whether or not they belong to Delhi.
The administration has not responded my phone calls. Also, when we tried to get in touch with the university, they responded vaguely saying that everything depends on the Supreme Court's decision.
The Quint has also reached out to the GGSIPU administration. Their response will be added once it is received.
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