CHENNAI: Students heaved a sigh of relief on Friday after Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy announced that the upcoming semester examinations, slated to begin on February 1, will be conducted in online mode.
The students were in a dilemma since Thursday as there was no clarity on how the semester examinations would be held, after the State government allowed in-person classes in schools and colleges from February 1.
Speaking in Villupuram, Ponmudy cleared the apprehensions and said: “There need not be any doubt. Semester examination in government arts and science colleges, private colleges affiliated to all universities, engineering and polytechnic institutions will be held online.” He, however, made it clear that the practical exams will be held in offline mode.
Sources said the higher education department was not keen on tweaking the exam schedule and format at the last minute as institutions had already made all arrangements for online examinations. Meanwhile, a section of teachers feels the government acted in haste to announce the online examinations due to which the quality of examination will be compromised.
“We have noticed that students favour online examinations as they have got used to its shortcut method of learning. If the government had waited for a few days and conducted exams in offline mode, it would have helped the students take the examination seriously,” said principal of a government college in Chennai.
Teachers claimed since online classes have turned students so lethargic, conducting the semester exams offline would have served as a practice session before the final examination. “The government has made it clear that final semester examinations will be conducted in offline mode only; it will be very difficult for students to write the papers as they have written all other semester exams in online mode,” said K Jagadeeshwari, teacher at a private engineering college.
At the event, Ponmudy said the State had firmly adopted the two-language policy, but was not opposed to students learning other languages. He was referring to Governor RN Ravi’s recent remarks that it was important for students to learn other Indian languages.
‘Not keen on tweaking’
Sources said the Higher Education Department was not keen on tweaking the exam schedule and format at
the last minute as institutions had already made all arrangements for conducting online examinations. The minister, however, made it clear that the practical examinations will be held in offline mode