Despite Chennai District Collector declaring holidays for all schools and colleges in the district from November 19 to 22 because of the floods, the Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai conducted the University examination on Thursday.
The Government Law College's decision to conduct the examination despite a statement about the four-day long holidays declared by the Collector and reported in almost all local and national media, has caused trouble to many students. Many of them did not know that the examination was being conducted despite the leave announcement.
Though the announcement came on Wednesday afternoon, the Public Relations Officer of the University told The News Minute the same night that "information about whether the College would be open or shut is yet to be received." Though he said that he would be able to give a final word in an hour, there was no response to the phone calls made to his number. This, despite the fact that the University was planning to conduct the examination on Thursday.
"The College had conducted an examination similarly the week before, despite the Collector declaring leave for all schools and colleges in the district. When I telephoned a professor to confirm he told me that the Collector would say all that but we will conduct our exams," said a student requesting anonymity.
The Public Relations Officer of the University gave a bizarre response to The News Minuteon Thursday. On being asked whether by conducting the examination despite an announcement by the Collector, has the college not disregarded the order, he said that he couldn’t say anything on that.
"The examinations on 16, 17 & 18 were postponed. The other examinations are being conducted. I cannot say anything more. This is what I have been asked to tell by my higher-ups," he said.
The question that arises is, whether the College can remain open and even conduct an examination disregarding the District Collector's declaration of leave for all schools and colleges in the district.