Karnatak University urged to postpone degree exams

Taking exception to the decision of Karnatak University, Dharwad, to hold degree examinations from February 1, student organisations on Wednesday held demonstrations and submitted memoranda seeking postponement of the examinations.

Delegations of All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) and Students Federation of India (SFI) met the Vice-Chancellor of the university in Dharwad on Wednesday seeking postponement of examinations. SFI members also staged a demonstration in front of Karnatak College.

In a circular issued on December 28, 2020, Karnatak University said that January 31 would be the last day for semesters and examinations would be held from February 1.

The delegation of Dharwad district committee of AIDSO led by district unit president Mahanthesh Bilur, secretary Ranajit Dhoopad and joint secretary Shashikala Meti met Vice-Chancellor K.B. Gudasi and conveyed to him about the anxiety among students about the examinations as many of them were not able to attend online classes due to technical issues. They urged the Vice-Chancellor to conduct offline classes at least for two months before conducting examinations.

The Vice-Chancellor told the delegation that the examinations would be conducted taking into consideration the issues raised by the students. The delegation also urged the Vice-Chancellor not to collect examination fee as the last year’s examination fee was still pending with the university. It said that fee collected from third and fifth semester students should be reimbursed.

Protest

The members of SFI led by office-bearers of the Dharwad district unit staged the demonstration in front of Karnatak College on the same issue and submitted a memoranda to Prof. Gudasi and Registrar K.T. Hanumanthappa at the university in Dharwad.

SFI members also held a demonstration in Haveri.

Staging the protest in front of Karnatak College in Dharwad , the SFI office-bearers said that without the appointment of guest lecturers, without holding classes and printing textbooks, the university had unilaterally decided to conduct examinations for degree classes.

Led by State committee member Ganesh Rathod, Basavaraj Bhovi and others, the protestors urged the university to hold annual examinations instead of semester examinations. Despite being aware of various problems students are facing, the university had unilaterally announced the examinations, they said. They also demanded reimbursement of fees paid by students for the current semester.