DEHRADUN: Higher education institutions of Uttarakhand are likely to reduce examination hours to half, from 3-hours to 90 minutes, given amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Dhan Singh Rawat, state higher education minister said, "The instructions have been issued to the department officials to draft a plan about reducing examination time from 3 hours to half. The pandemic has effected everyone including students. We are trying our best to provide respite to them."
Aparna Negi, a student of Doon University, who is in her second year of bachelor's said, "The exams are already delayed due to which the session will be delayed. We want the exams to get over. We are exhausted by the delay and the pandemic".
More than 80,000 students including 25000 from outside the state will be appearing in examinations scheduled to be held in the duration between August 24 to September 25. The results are set to be announced by October 25.
Students from outside Uttarakhand said that the state and University Grants Commission (UGC) should also consider online examination as travelling comes with a threat of infection.
"I will have to travel over a thousand kilometers and it will pose problems like infection of the deadly virus and other issues. It's better if the UGC could consider online exams," said a student from Kashmir on the condition of anonymity.
The decision comes after the UGC announced a standard operating procedure which includes separate rooms for students suffering from cough, cold or mild symptoms of common flu.