Students' Federation of India demands student-centric approach in offline exams

GUWAHATI: After a yearlong online mode of teaching and just after reopening of colleges, the Assam Science and Technology University (ASTU) has issued a notice regarding their decision to conduct regular offline examination for the students of the engineering colleges of Assam.

The Assam unit of Students' Federation of India (SFI) has stated that the ASTU's decision has raised a hue and cry and students have objected this 'sudden decision' of conducting the examination in a regular format with full syllabus just after reopening of colleges.

"The ASTU authorities should take a student-centric approach while conducting the exams, the failure of which will naturally lead to larger democratic protests," SFI Assam State Committee president Kashyap Choudhury asserted.

The SFI has demanded the ASTU to take suitable measures so that students feel at ease to sit in the exam.

The pandemic has affected the regular functioning of educational institutions and the engineering colleges of the State are no exception. Though classes were carried out online, but it has been of little help due to huge digital divide amongst the student community. Moreover online classes can never be an option for technical courses, said the SFI.

"Technical Curriculum consists of subjects that demands physical class room activity and practical laboratory classes are an integral part of it. Without ample amount of physical classes, it is next to impossible to sit for offline exams that cover whole of syllabus. Moreover, an engineering student needs to consult a range of study materials that can only be accessible in a library. Buying new books is very expensive and almost none could afford. Though an online library was provided but large section could not access it during the pandemic period," the SFI argued.

The students' body has suggested that the authorities can opt for reduction of syllabus, choosing the objective format with multiple choices and providing grace marks.

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