TU students take to social media to call for online exams

Many students are using the hashtag #WeWantOnlineExam to protest the university’s decision to hold physical exams.

Prasun Sangroula

  • Read Time 2 min.

Kathmandu: Prajwal, a first year student of BSc Physics at Tribhuvan University, is apprehensive about appearing in the upcoming examinations. With the lockdown eased, the university has announced that examinations will take place in physical settings, starting July 24.

“The virus is not dead,” Prajwal said. “The risk of getting infected will be high during exams, where a large number of students gather. It would be better if the exams were conducted online.”

Like Prajwal, many other TU students are fearful about the upcoming exams. Many have taken to social media to request the university that exams be conducted online. #WeWantOnlineExam has been the hashtag of choice.

“Yes, there will be only 25 students in the exam hall, but we come in contact with many more while at the exam center,” writes Nishant Gaire in a popular Facebook post. “What if one of the students is infected? Except for TU, other universities have conducted online exams with success. Either conduct an online exam or promote us through internal evaluation… #WeWantOnlineExam.”

Another student, Bishal Giri, draws attention to the threat of a third wave. “The classes were conducted online but why should the exams be physical?” Giri writes. “Experts have warned that a third wave of the pandemic will likely hit Nepal. I want to draw the attention of all the students’ unions and appeal that exams be conducted with high safety #healthmatters #wewantonlineexam.”

As the government has eased the lockdown and people have begun to gather in the mass, public health experts are worried. Examinations and gatherings can be catalysts to spread the virus, they say.

In June, Tribhuvan University decided to conduct all exams suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic within this year. Exams for bachelor’s level supposed to be conducted last year are yet to take place.

The university has planned to conduct the exams of first and second-year programs under the Bachelor’s degree’s arts, education, science and management streams after mid-July and the first year of Bachelor’s level under the faculty of law and the final year of the Master’s degree after then.

A total of 250 thousand students will be attending the pre-Dashain examinations and around 600 thousand students will participate in the post-Dashain examinations.

As the government has eased the lockdown and people have begun to gather in the mass,  public health experts are worried. Examinations and gatherings can be catalysts to spread the virus, they say.

“This is not a good indication,” Dr Sameer Mani Dixit, Director of Research at Center for Molecular Dynamics, said

“There must not be any kind of gatherings until everyone is vaccinated. Unless everyone is vaccinated, the virus will continue to spread.”