T Wilson had returned to the campus on January 3 after his Christmas holidays and was gearing up to get back to lessons, but the closure of colleges till January 20 has put a spanner in his plans.

Wilson was asked to vacate his hostel room on January 6 by University of Madras. "As normalcy returned, I took admission in a coaching centre to prepare for Civil Services and other competitive examinations. But now I am worried if coaching centres will also be shut due to rising COVID-19 cases," said Wilson.

"If I return to my village in Theni, I will not be able to prepare for the exams. Adding to it, I have spent money in enrolling in the coaching centre and if classes are held in online mode then all my money is wasted," said a worried Wilson.

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There are many others like Wilson who are in the same dilemma. "So far it is being said physical examinations will be held as per schedule, from January 20 onwards, but what if the cases don't come down. Even if examinations are held, there is no certainty that physical mode of classes will resume after January 20. If we go back to online classes again, life will become difficult for me because I am not able to follow anything on it," said Sharmilla Parameswaran, a student at a Government Arts College in Chennai.

"Exams are scheduled from January 20 and if I go back to my native place, I will hardly be able to read as all my time goes in helping my family on the farm," said S Manikandan, a student of a Government Arts College in Thiruvarur.

While SK Tirupathi, another hostel boarder, has a different issue. On Sunday, he is to appear for TNPSC examination, but he has no idea where will he stay for two days. "I certainly cannot afford to stay in a hotel or lodging till Sunday. I will request some of my day-border friends to accommodate me," said Tirupathi.