Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Jul 5: The Rajiv Gandhi University Students’ Union (RGUSU) is set to serve the RGU authority a 14-day ultimatum on Monday to reconsider the decision to conduct the terminal-semester/year examinations, after the university issued a notification and a letter to the education secretary on 3 July regarding promotion and examination of students.
The RGUSU outright opposed the tentative academic calendar that calls for terminal-semester students from red, orange and green zones to arrive by the end of July and be in institutional quarantine, besides hostel (home) quarantine from 3 to 16 August, 2020, before appearing for examinations.
Addressing reporters at the Arunachal Press Club on Sunday, RGUSU president Dopum Sonam said, “People need to know that our syllabi have not been completed. The teaching-learning process had just begun when the lockdown was announced in March. RGU had vacated all students from the university hostels when there were no cases here, but they want us to come and appear for exams when the virus is spreading rapidly here and in neighbouring states.
“Even the capital deputy commissioner and the chief secretary have announced a lockdown from Monday because they are concerned for the lives of the people. Why is the university adamant on conducting examinations?” he said.
He also questioned the success of the online classes.
“They were simply a medium to interact with students. We did not oppose the online classes, even though it was accessible to only a few. How many students gained knowledge out of these online classes? Exams based on online classes do not add to our knowledge or skills,” Sonam said.
“We do not go to the university simply to give exams. As regular students, we have to attend classes to be able to appear for exams and learn skills. We would have joined distance education if it was only about appearing in exams,” he said, and called on the RGU authority to first compensate for the academic loss of two to three months by conducting interactive classes if it is intent on holding exams.
Reiterating its demand that the university either promote terminal-semester students or give enough time for teaching-learning process before conducting examinations, the RGUSU sought a special academic council meeting by the RGU vice chancellor to come to a concrete decision in the matter.
“We will submit our representation to the VC on Monday and serve an ultimatum of 14 days, or consider him incompetent to be in authority and announce our future course of action then. We will not accept such a dictatorial decision,” Sonam added.
The union said that the university is yet to respond to the demands which were placed over a week ago, or call any meeting to suggest measures regarding the same.
The union has also written to the governor, seeking his intervention in the matter.
