Students across West Bengal are demanding that exams be held online this year, their argument being that not enough classroom teaching was held this semester to equip them for offline exams. While some universities in the State have given in to their demand, many others — particularly those based in Kolkata — are firm about conducting exams in the offline mode even in the face of protests by students.
Rabindra Bharati University, where police had to be called in recently during violent protests by students, and Jadavpur University, have made it clear that they will hold exams in the offline mode. The University of Calcutta, which has close to 160 colleges affiliated to it, is yet to make a formal announcement, even though it has made public its preference for the offline mode. Students of the university have already begun protests on College Street, where the varsity’s administrative office is located.
Among the institutions that have given in to the students’ demand for online exams are Vidyasagar University in Midnapore, and Kalyani University. Kazi Nazrul University in Asansol, on the other hand, has decided to postpone the exams that were scheduled to be held next month.
