Opposed to online studies initially, MDU students now demand online exams

Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, February 20

Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) students, who initially opposed the conduct of online studies and exams by the university administration, are now demanding that their exams be conducted online.

A group of students has been staging a dharna in front of the MDU gate here for the last three days to press their demand for conduct of online exams, grant of mercy chance to the old students to appear in exams and reduction in the examination fee for mercy chance.

The protesting students said that they were demanding that the exams should be conducted online as well as offline as is being done at the other universities across Haryana and the neighbouring states in view of the Covid-related constraints.

On the other hand, sources in the teaching fraternity said that certain groups of students had been demanding online exams so that they can use unfair means as they take the exams from their homes.

“The university authorities have allowed the students having genuine problems/difficulties to take the exams online, but even those students who can appear in the exams without any difficulty are demanding online exams,” said a senior faculty member at the university.

Meanwhile, the Indian National Students Organisation (INSO) has given a 48-hour ultimatum to the university authorities to accede to their demands, including the conduct of online as well as offline exams, opening of hostels and increasing the number of seats in certain courses.

The students’ body has threatened to gherao the university Vice-Chancellor and lock his office on Monday if their demands are not met by then.