Second and fourth-semester undergraduate (UG) students of Kuvempu University in Shivamogga were caught unaware when the university announced dates for their examinations. This comes even as the Karnataka government had said that exams for the even semesters must not be conducted.
On July 23, the state government had issued a circular stating that exams for even semesters – second and fourth semester –will not be conducted and results would have to be decided based on the previous semester's results and internal evaluation.
Further, the circular said that for UG courses, the odd semester exams – first, third and fifth semester- should be completed by August and the exams for the terminal semester– sixth semester– be completed by the third week of September, so that classes for the academic year 2021-22 could begin from the first week of October.
However, Kuvempu University released a notification on July 29 announcing dates for second and fourth-semester exams, along with those for the terminal semester, from October 1 to October 10.
Students belonging to other universities, across the state, including the University of Mysore, Ranichennama University in Belagavi and Davangere University also alleged that they have been informed, verbally, to prepare for the exams (though no specific dates have been announced) and that their college authorities have allegedly told them that exams won’t be cancelled.
“At our college, the authorities are saying that exams will go on and they have asked us to prepare for it and also make arrangements to pay the fees. There has been no circular released about cancelling exams yet,” said Bhuvana*, a second-year degree student studying at a college affiliated to the Davangere University, talking to TNM.
Shivu*, a student from Ranichennama University in Belagavi also alleged that the college authorities had told them that both the third and fourth-semester exams will be conducted.
“There is no clarity on the situation and how many exams we will have to attend. Some of our lecturers say that there is going to be no cancellation of the even semester exams and have asked us to prepare,” he added.
This was echoed by Ramesh*, a student studying in a college affiliated with the University of Mysore. He said, “Our teachers themselves don’t have clarity about the situation and they are asking us to study for the exams regardless of whether they will be held.”
He further alleged that his college authorities had told the students that they will start collecting the exam fees shortly.
“There is no clarity on whether there will be exams and now they are saying that they will start collecting fees. What does this mean? I believe that they intend to conduct exams,” he said.
However, Davangere University’s Registrar Evaluation, Anita HM, told TNM, “This question doesn’t arise at all now. Conduction of second and fourth-semester exams of UG courses will only happen when classes for these two semesters go on for one-and-a-half months. Now there is no issue at all. The problem only comes if we announce exams and we haven’t done so. The question will only arise whether to cancel after a month and a half. Who knows what changes would have come by then? The third wave might hit us and everything may get cancelled or UGC might also take back the guideline it had issued. What may happen in the future is uncertain."
The University of Mysore and Ranichennama University in Belagavi were not reachable for comment. However, there were no notifications on these universities' websites that the even semester exams are cancelled. Though other universities, including Bengaluru City University, Akkamahadevi Women’s University in Vijayapura and Karnataka University in Dharwad announced in a circular that second and fourth semester results would be announced based on internal assessment.
(*names changed)