Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 26
The demand for offline semester examinations made by certain sections of Nagaland’s college students has been a raging topic both offline and online over the past few days. The matter drew mixed responses from various quarters even as college students in Dimapur protested with the slogan that “what started online should end online.”
Among those who stood in solidarity with the students, the Nagaland Unit of National Students Union of India (NSUI) stated that, “There are certain aspects of their demands which needs due consideration.”
Putting forward its observations, the NSUI Nagaland Unit stated that it had taken feedback and opinions of students across the state and observed that ‘tremendously poor’ network conditions “has caused serious challenges in the teaching process and the incompletion of syllabus.” Offline classes have hardly been conducted for over a month and while the normal academic session comprises of six months for each semester, “this time around the students got only 4 months for one semester,” it said.
It also said that the exam routine was announced in a very short time and pointed out that there is no gap between the subjects, causing trepidation among the students in addition to mental stress.
According to the NSUI, the exam notification clearly stated that the Controller of Examinations reserves the right to alter/change the date or mode of examinations depending on the current prevailing situation and the orders of the State/Central Government. As such, it requested the University to assess the situation with utmost priority and come out with what will be in the best interests of the students.
Airing their grievances, student body representatives of City Law College, Dimapur, Kohima Law College and Mokokchung Law College also appealed the University to allow online examinations on grounds that it was “illogical to expect the Law Students of Nagaland University to sit for three semester examination within a period of hardly seven months.”
It said that most of the classes have been conducted online and as such, “it is not suitable for the students to go for offline mode of examination,” while adding that it is also illogical to expect the law students appear offline examinations with just one month of offline class for a course which is set for six months.
While appreciating the University’s efforts to “stream line the lagging law course,” it contended that “no amount of university welfare should set aside the welfare and well being of the students as pushing the students for offline examination without adequate offline classes is self defeating in itself [sic].” It appealed the NU to allow online examinations “so that the students may also not be discriminated while streamlining the lagging law courses.”
On the other hand, the Dimapur Naga Students Union (DNSU) reasoned with the protestors, stating that with the decline in COVID positive cases and reopening of schools and colleges, “many students are opting for the offline mode of classes as well as exams because we know that the online classes and online exams had more drawbacks than gain.”
Advising against online mode of examination, the DNSU offered an alternative solution—a revision of the already published exam routine to put in more breaks in between the subjects along with a decrease in the syllabus.
“The continuous lockdown has affected even the syllabus coverage in most of the colleges and students are concerned about performing efficiently in the final examinations which are truly genuine and understandable,” it added, while requesting the students to stop their agitation and focus on the exams ahead.
Meanwhile, institutional authorities were clear in their stance on the matter.
The Nagaland College Principals Association (NCPA), expressing dismay over the agitations, stated that it “unequivocally endorses offline examination and stands firm with the Nagaland University, to which the colleges are affiliated.”
Most colleges started online classes from July end and offline classes resumed by September till date, it said, while adding that students’ assessment in colleges suggests that massive majority prefer offline examination.
“We regret the action of those students who are attempting to tamper the process of meritocracy, thereby, diluting the very objective of quality education. May good sense prevail as even school children are attending offline classes and writing offline examinations,” NCPA President Dr Visakhonü Hibo and General Secretary Dr Lily Sema said in a press statement.
It further encouraged all the college students to stay calm and prepare for offline examination, as per the routine provided by Nagaland University.
At the Nagaland University headquarters, the Controller of Examinations (CoE) Dr Maongsangba clarified on a few allegations while stating that it was the duty of his office and the university to keep the sanctity of examinations intact and promote quality education without any compromises.
Referring to claims made by students that the announcement to conduct the exams was made suddenly; Dr Maonsangba told The Morung Express that the dates as well as routine for the exams were already published in the month of October. The same is corroborated on the University’s website.
Maintaining that it was not a sudden announcement, he also expressed regret that the students had remained silent for most of the intervening period. The routine was uploaded long time back so the university will not buckle under pressure, he added.
He also noted that the COVID-19 situation in the state has considerably improved and positivity rate has decreased, making it feasible to conduct offline exams. In this regard, he said the Chief Secretary had also issued an order on November 26 allowing the University to conduct the offline examinations.
In the order which was made available to this newspaper, the Chief Secretary referred to the State Government’s ‘Unlock 7’ order issued on September 30 and stated that “Nagaland University may go ahead with offline examination as scheduled from first week to 3rd week of December 2021 by strictly observing the SOPs in the examination centres.”
Dr Maonsangba also stated that the NU authorities empathize with the students as everyone is caught in an unprecedented situation. However, he also noted that the teaching-learning process was completed through blended mode—both offline and online mode, and if the courses were not completed, the next logical step would have been to demand for an extension in order to engage in teaching and learning process. “However, on the ground that they have not finished their courses, they are demanding online examination and that is illogical,” he asserted.
With regard to the All Nagaland College Students’ Union’s demand for online exams earlier in the week, the CoE said that the matter was discussed with the Union who later understood the ground realities in the right perspective and changed their stance.
The CoE also elaborated on the University Grants Commission’s guidelines and said that students were categorically told that the UGC stipulates a period of 6 months for each semester during which all activities including teaching-learning process, examination, evaluation, declaration of results, well as a semester break, have to be completed. Although the university is for students and their welfare, as a central university, the NU is also accountable to the UGC and cannot accommodate every demand, unless it is reasonable to some extent, he added.
