THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The decision of the Kerala University’s School of Distance Education (SDE) to conduct examinations that were postponed owing to Covid-19 has triggered a row. Students, especially those who are set to appear for the sixth semester undergraduate examinations next week, have complained that they could not prepare well due to a delay in the distribution of study material.
Students said they were delivered study material, originally scheduled to be distributed last year, only a month ago. Some were irked by the exam time-table being released just a few days before the scheduled date, giving them very little time to prepare. However, SDE officials said the study material for the sixth semester undergraduate courses was available online.
The examinations for the fifth semester SDE undergraduate courses began on June 8 while those for the sixth semester are slated to be held from June 16 to 28. Though students have urged the university to postpone the examinations, varsity officials have cited practical difficulties.
“The exam centres of the School of Distance Education are located mostly in engineering colleges and the engineering exams are slated to begin on June 26,” School of Distance Education Director R Vasanthagopal said. Hence, postponing the exam dates was practically impossible, he said.
Also, the sixth semester examinations of Kerala University’s regular undergraduate courses began on June 1, with the results expected to be out by July 15. Hence, postponing the SDE exam would mean delayed results which will impact the chances of distance education students in securing PG admissions adversely, said Vasanthagopal.