Andhra University stage protest in Vizag, demand exams cancellation amid COVID crisis

Students at Andhra University, on Wednesday, expressed their dissent with the University’s decision to conduct exams amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Staging a protest, which was led by the Student Federation of India (SFI), the students demanded the University officials to cancel the exams.

Andhra University had earlier canceled the semester exams for the first and second-year students. The recent announcement of the exam schedule to conduct the semester exams has not gone well with the students. The students opined that conducting exams during the prevailing situation will put the safety and health of students at risk.

Tension prevailed when students gathered in large numbers outside the campus gate and started raising slogans demanding the cancellation of exams. The city police reached the spot and tried to bring the situation under control. Responding to the protest, the University officials stated that while it was not possible to cancel, the exams can be re-scheduled. After being assured by the officials, the protest was called off by the students.

It may be recalled that the students of Andhra university students protested against the semester fee hike earlier this year.

Educational institutions have remained shut since mid-march. While most of the institutions took to online teaching, it was not the same case with a few universities. Citing reasons such as inaccessibility to the internet and other means, especially to students coming from marginalized sections, some universities have not taken classes. Appearing for exams without proper access to study material has been one of the many difficulties the students have been facing during the pandemic.

A few days back, the National Students Union of India (NSUI) and other students staged a protest outside Hyderabad’s JNTU demanding the mass promotion of Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) and B.Pharm (Bachelor of Pharmacy) students from colleges affiliated to the University. The students also demanded a 50% fee waiver given the COVID-19 crisis.