St Agnes College (Autonomous) in Mangaluru has postponed two semester examinations following a student protest against the scheduling of papers during the Dasara festival period. The college announced that examinations scheduled for October 19 and 22 would be rescheduled, with revised dates to be communicated through official channels.
The protest took place on October 12, when undergraduate students gathered outside the college gates and boycotted examinations. The semester examination schedule runs from October 12 to 28, overlapping with Dasara celebrations in the coastal Karnataka region. Students argued that the timetable would prevent them from participating in festival activities with their families.
The students sought the intervention of the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner, asking the authorities to facilitate a revised examination schedule. The agitation was supported by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). While some students stayed away from the examinations, papers continued on campus for those who chose to appear.
Why students opposed the examination schedule
Students said they had asked the college to reconsider the dates because of the festival. One student told The Indian Express, “While all schools and colleges in the state give holidays to students, the college announced the examinations during the same time. We have requested them previously but did not pay any heed.”
The protest continued for several hours, prompting police personnel and district officials to intervene. College Registrar and Controller of Examinations Shubha Rekha addressed the protesters and announced that the October 19 and 22 examinations would be postponed. However, some students continued to seek a longer break covering the festival period.
College says timetable was announced in September
The college administration said the examination timetable had been prepared in accordance with its approved academic calendar and did not include gazetted public holidays. According to its clarification, a draft timetable was circulated on September 11, and the final schedule was published on September 26 after no objections or requests for changes were received during the feedback period.
The college also said the schedule had been prepared keeping in mind students’ academic commitments, including internships and projects. It maintained that it learnt of the proposed protest through social media on October 11 and had not received a formal representation from students before the demonstration.
The administration said it had decided to reschedule the two examinations after considering the concerns raised by students. The revised dates are expected to be communicated through the college’s official channels.
