CUTN calls off online examinations, resorts to internal assessment, after students outrage

The Central University of Tamil Nadu, on Monday, decided to call off its decision to conduct examinations online, owing to the pandemic and the lockdown. According to the latest circular issued by the university's administration, all the students who are to appear for the even semester examinations will be assessed based on their internal assessment and their CGPAs earned until the previous semester. The university's previous decision to conduct online examinations for its final year students had created a lot of hue and cry among the students.

"As it is not possible to conduct immediate supplementary examinations, which will be conducted after the publication of even semester results in normal condition, this method will be followed for backlog/arrears papers of the third semester of all PG Programmes, the ninth semester of all integrated programmes and private candidates," reads the circular. While the internal assessment will have a 60 per cent weightage, CGPAs of previous semesters will have a 40 per cent weightage.

"This is such a relief. We are really happy with this decision," says a final year student, who did not wish to be named. Previously, the university's Students' Council had conducted a survey, which revealed that almost 83 per cent of the final year students did not have access to stable internet connections, in order to write online examinations. Also, a whopping 70 per cent of the students said that their syllabus wasn't completed.