Odisha BPUT Exams: Students say #BPUTStopKaroNa, demand cancellation of online exams
While some states in the country have cancelled exams in universities and colleges, there are others wanting to hold online examinations. Odisha's Biju Patnaik University of Technology, Rourkela, and other varsities have decided to conduct final semester exams of all the courses online. However, students are hellbent on cancellation of the online BPUT examinations. From writing an open letter to the varsity to storming the social media using #BPUTStopKaroNa, students of BPUT are pulling out all the stops to make sure the tide turns in their favour.
"Despite requesting the authorities to opt for the normalisation method, the University is all set to conduct it's final semester examinations within the 2nd week of July at different district centres amidst this deadly global pandemic," a student told indiatvnews.com.
Another said, "BPUT is forcibly doing online exam with so many guidelines which are almost impossible to follow. The exam is requiring so many things and so many restrictions like 1mbps net , i3 processor laptop which I can't afford rightnow. And it's new AI exam is a nightmare for us."
Here are some of the reasons stated by the students for cancellation of the BPUT exams:
(quoted verbatim according to the open letter)
- The basic specifications for appearing in the exams include i3 processor, 4GB and above RAM, webcam with mic and 1MBps bandwidth internet with 3 hours of power supply backup. Such reliable internet is still a dream to many, with 3 hours of power supply in such rainy weather is still questionable. Ultimately, the students need to rush to the nearest centres, thus, crowding the centres and making it a high-risk in view of the pandemic.
- The pattern of the exams -- MCQ, Open Book System with innovative questions on outcome based education, is new for students as well as faculties. A single mock exam cannot grab the confidence of students to appear for final exams. The students are still not aware of the mentioned pattern and are confuded about the preparation of the same.
- Nearly 40% of the final Semester students are residing out of Odisha. If a student doesn’t have a laptop/desktop with such specifications and can’t move to the cyber cafe due to his/her state’s restrictions, he/she is bound to appear for the final examinations after the pandemic situation gets over, certainly risking their job offers, higher studies and career as most of the companies are willing to snatch the job offers made to the freshers if the final examinations are not conducted soon.
- COVID situation occured unusually. The students left their books in their hostels and rushed to their hometowns. Students do not have any resource/book to study for their final examinations and refer them during Open-Book online test. According to an Instruction issued by BPUT, it is said that “No pre-written/printed material is allowed in the surroundings”. How come BPUT justifies it as an Open Book Test as notified on 27.06.2020? With such change in policies, students are going through mental trauma.
