Students belonging to four Law colleges staged a demonstration in front of the Utkal University in Bhubaneswar against the decision to conduct pending four semester examinations in offline mode, on Monday.
Students from the University Law College, Capital Law College, MS Law and The Law College alleged that they are now forced to appear all the pending four semesters- 7th, 8th,9th and 10th- in the next six months in offline mode.
They claimed it was a clear violation of the guidelines issued by the Bar Council Of India (BCI). “Today, the students of four Law colleges staged protests as no exams were conducted in the past one year in view of the Covid situation. Now the authorities are telling us to appear four semester exams in just six months time. It is a clear a violation of the Bar Council of India guidelines which makes it clear that the students need to be promoted for each pending semester,” said a law student.
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According to the students, they had filed a Writ Petition in the High Court and the court had directed the Vice-Chancellor of Utkal University to consider the plight of the students.
“We demand that the authorities should release the mark-sheet based on promotion by September 30 as per BCI norms. Online classes for current semester should start from October and the exams be conducted in online mode,” demanded a student.
The students also threatened to stage protest outside the Chief Minister’s residence if authorities did not issue notice regarding the pending semester promotion.
Pooja Singh, another student stated that their internal exams were held in March 2020. “And now the authorities are asking us to appear the pending exams in coming six months. We demand all the four pending semesters be held in online mode and virtual education should continue as Covid cases are increasing in the State,” Singh added.
Sarat Majhi, Controller of Examination, Utkal University said a notice regarding the examinations is yet to be issued. “The mode of examination will be decided by the exam committee. The committee meeting will be held on August 25 and an appropriate decision will be taken in the interest of the students,” said Majhi.
Majhi further said, “We urge the students to have faith in the administration. As colleges and other educational institutions have reopened and physical mode of teaching has resumed, the Committee will take appropriate decision to conduct the exams in online or offline mode.”