The Students' Union and various student groups from the University of Hyderabad have written to the Controller of Exams requesting the postponement of the Entrance Exams. A few days ago the Vice-Chancellor wrote an open letter to the students community stating that the results announced previously for the final semester students will stand cancelled as the Supreme Court had directed Universities and colleges to hold the exams. These student groups have for a while been demanding the postponement of entrance exams.
However, student groups have pointed out that the travel restrictions would make it impossible and unsafe for students to travel during this time. “This decision by the administration will cause immense difficulties to students, especially those living in remote areas and those coming from socially and economically disadvantaged marginalised communities. This University offers education to all people from all backgrounds. Conducting an exam when the pandemic is raging and cases and deaths are rising everyday is unfair. It puts so many students at risk,” the Union said in its representation to the authorities.
Many states have travel restrictions, the Union pointed out, “Under these circumstances, we request the university to kindly pay heed to the applicants and postpone the exams. Otherwise it will act as a huge barrier for students coming from marginalised backgrounds.” The Union is also arguing that the university's decision to hold the entrance over three days is not feasible, “Three days are not enough to conduct all the exams. To add to it, a large number of candidates apply for various courses, and there are clashes between different exams. Also, 38 centres have been allotted across the country for the exams, this is apre-pandemic decision. If the university doesn’t increase the number of centres, this will burden students and affect COVID protocols,” the Union said in its representation.
They also pointed out that functioning of trains has still not begun and this demanded that there should be additional steps taken to increase entrance exam centres. The Ambedkar Students Association submitted a representation to the Controller of Examinations on the issue, “As per the notification from the administration, entrance exams for the academic year 2020-21 have been scheduled on September 24,25 and 26. Meanwhile National Testing Agency (NTA) has notified that National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) is scheduled on these two slots – September 16 to 18 and September 21 to 25, apparently clashing with the entrance exam schedule of UoH. Meanwhile administration has also notified regarding the end semester examinations for Integrated/PG final year students which is scheduled in two phases, first phase from September 16-22. This is also against the interest of our final year students who are aspiring to pursue research programmes from UoH.”
“Also, Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) has decided to conduct UG and PG final semester exams from September 14 to 30. So, all the institutions in Telangana are gearing up for conducting semester exams on the said dates which are again clashing with our entrance exams. Not only in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, but most of the institutions across India are gearing up to conduct final semester exams in September as per the directions of the UGC. University of Hyderabad being a premier institution with students across the country aspiring to pursue their higher education here, the current schedule is going to cause huge inconvenience for such aspirants,” the ASA President, Iniyavan Banumathi pointed out in the letter.
