MBA exams at this Odisha University cancelled after students protest against offline exams as 20 hostel students test COVID positive

The fourth semester MBA examination at Sriram Chandra Bhanjadeo University, Baripada was postponed by the authorities after students staged a dharna protesting offline examination and demanding online mode as more than 20 residents of a ladies hostel tested positive for COVID-19 in last two days.

The fourth semester MBA offline examinations began on Monday, July 25.

As the students picketed at the entrance, they did not allow any employee into the university campus. The students said, as per rules, the university should not be conducting offline examinations in the wake of students testing COVID-positive. But the offline exams began on Monday putting students' future at stake, they alleged.

"The test reports revealed that as many as 20 girls out of 100 in the hostel have tested positive for COVID-19. In such a situation, offline examinations are helping the infection spread as no precautionary measures are taken by the authorities. Not only are other students getting infected but also, those affected remain deprived of appearing for the exams, " alleged students Abhishek Panda, Subhajit Pani and Manisha Panda.

"I'm sure more cases will be reported as COVID test has not been done for those who are appearing for the exams with the affected students. No treatment is being provided to the residents in hostels even after the hostel superintendent and other authorities were informed," alleged Pani.

Vice-Chancellor Kishore Kumar Basa maintained that after students tested positive, the matter was taken to the authorities in the Higher Education department, but they instructed them to continue with the offline examination. "The university has postponed the exam of two papers of the MBA department which were scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday. The exams will be conducted after further orders by the university," the VC stated.

The dharna, however, continued till 5 pm.