NEW DELHI: In an unprecedented move, Jawaharlal Nehru University administration has decided to allow protesting students to appear in the semester examinations from home.
The university administration has decided to adopt this alternative approach to keep the academic session within its scheduled time. A large number of JNU students are on protests against the revised inter-hall administration manual that proposes significant hike in utility and service charges on hostellers.
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In a status report to the Union Human Resource Development Ministry, the JNU Registrar said that while examinations were conducted at most schools, several students in the Schools of Social Science, International Studies, Language Literature, and Cultural Studies, and Arts and Aesthetics had not been able to appear for the exam.
“The semester examination can be completed by an alternate means, given the current circumstances. This optional examination will be based on taking the question paper home / open book/assignment.”
It added that a unanimous decision was taken that all the deans and presidents of special centers will notify an optional examination instead of the examination to be held in the hall.
“Students will be informed about this first. All course in-charges will be given email id of students.
Questions or assignments will be sent to students on this email ID. They will also be informed by when to submit the answer. Students will be able to submit their copy via email, by taking a photo, through WhatsApp or as hard copies,” the report said.
At the forefront
In Delhi, JNU students led from the front of the protests by their ilk from different universities. The students gathered at India Gate on Monday to demonstrate against the police crackdown on students at the Jamia Millia Islamia here and Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh. Soon, people from different walks of life joined the students. Candles were lit at the spot. The crowds raised slogans against the Delhi Police and “dictatorial” attitude of the Narendra Modi government.