TIRUCHY/PUDUKKOTTAI: The Lok Sabha election appears to have played spoilsport for students of several arts and science colleges in Tiruchy and Pudukkottai districts as their semester exams, which usually end by April, have been pushed into May, forcing them to take them up during peak summer.
Authorities blamed the delay in announcement of dates for the general election for the consequent delay in conducting exams. Bharathidasan University (BDU) Registrar R Kalidasan told TNIE, "Some aided autonomous colleges have finished conducting the examination. Due to the election, semester exams in non-autonomous colleges, including government institutions, and a few autonomous ones under BDU are delayed as some colleges were designated polling stations. The semester exams are hence under way in some autonomous and government colleges under BDU."
Students, however, complain it “burdensome” having to attend the exams in the extreme heat conditions. “It takes over two hours for me to reach Tiruchy by bus from my native of Alangudi in Pudukkottai. Even though I feel drained I have no option but to appear for the exams," said a final year PG student at Thanthai Periyar Government Arts and Science College in Tiruchy.
When enquired, the principal of a government arts and science college in Srirangam said, "We are aware of the hardships students and teachers alike have to go through in the heatwave. There is no option other than to conduct the examinations this month amidst the heat. We would have finished the semester by April itself. But uncertainty in the election date hindered our decision."
Meanwhile, a few autonomous institutions like HH The Rajah’s College in Pudukkotai are yet to commence conduct of semester exams. At the college, the exam is scheduled for May 10-30 for UG students while it will be held during May 11-23 for PG students. S Janarthanan, SFI district secretary of Pudukkottai, blamed the higher education department for the “poor planning”.
"Despite being aware of the heatwave-like conditions, the department did not care for the welfare of students. In the event of heavy rain, the authorities, however, defer exams.” Be it a heatwave or rain, the only way to tackle is to plan the academic year ahead and finish it early, remarked Association of University Teachers former president K Pandiyan.