Dimapur, Nov. 16 (EMN): Student unions of thirty-one colleges in Nagaland have requested the authorities of Nagaland University (NU) to conduct odd semester years’ undergraduate exams online within this year.
In a joint statement issued on Monday, the unions expressed their opposition to the NU’s recent decision to postpone the exams, at the directive of the state government.
‘While considering the latest policy of Nagaland University, which clearly shows its inclination and determination to conduct examination on-campus/offline, a fact must not be ignored that the guarantee of safety cannot be given/offered to the students during on-campus/offline examination; moreover, the ground realities of the students in Nagaland are far different from the students in rest of the country. Maximum students in our state have their permanent residence in remote areas—far away from academic towns like Dimapur and Kohima.
‘Due to pandemic, almost 95% of the students have already gone back to their villages to take safe shelter. Conducting on-campus examination will also mean transportation of those thousands of students and therefore the question of their safety. Moreover, maximum number of students in Nagaland are either hostelites or live in rental places— both the options have now been practically closed for them due to pandemic. This is a present reality of every student in Nagaland which compels him to express his displeasure and concern over the Nagaland University’s policy to not to conduct examination online but postponing it further with an intention to conduct the same on the campus which will definitely expose each and every student to the threat of infection,’ it stated.
Further, the unions expressed hope that the university will show its determination, commitment and solidarity in fighting Covid-19 and also to take the grievances of the students by taking just, fair and proper steps.
“We hope the justice will be granted to over 30,000 students in Nagaland,” the statement read.
