MULTAN: Students have ended their sit-in following the announcement of the conduct of the online examination by the Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan.
The Multan University administration has issued a notification dated 26 January, 2021 that approves the conduct of online examination.
The notification reads that it has been approved to conduct the Final-Term Online Examination by assigning assignment/s both theory and practical of all programs which are running under semester system of affiliated Colleges of BZU, Multan due to COVID-19 situation.
The notification further states assigning and evaluation of these assignments will be done by the concerned colleges as the analogy of Mid-Term examination that are already being practiced by the colleges.
Students Want Online Exams
Students in different parts of the Punjab province had been protesting against physical exams due to the COVID-19 situation. The social media had been trending with the hashtag #StudentsWantOnlineExams
The protest which erupted in different parts of the province showed a grave image, as it turned violent. Clashes between the security guards of the campuses, police and students were reported from different parts of the province.
Many videos of the clashes between the students and the police officers are also trending on social media.
Injuries
Five students were injured outside NFC University in Faisalabad, a guard was also injured as the protest turned violent. According to reports as many as 200 students gathered outside the university in the district Jaranwala. The students tried to break in and pelted stone. The police baton-charged the protesting students and also arrested 5 students. Fifteen more are said to have been locked up inside university by the management.
Students of the Central University of Punjab in Lahore also held sit-in outside campus and asked to hold talks with the management. Some students started pelting stones at the security guards. The security guards baton charged the students to disperse the crowd. No injuries reported from here.
Similar incident of protest was also reported outside National Textile University located near the Sheikhupura Road in the city, where the students blocked the Green Belt for traffic and staging their sit-in.
Students across Pakistan are staging sit-ins and protesting against the physical examination and demanding online examination due to increasing cases of coronavirus that has also infected the students.
Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood
Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood also took notice of the situation and tweeted:
Some university students are demanding that their exams should be online as they have been studying online. This is a decision for the universities to make but I have asked HEC to consult VCs and see if it is possible given special circumstances this year. Universities should also assess whether they have the technical ability to conduct exams for ALL students. No one can be left behind. It is also necessary to ensure that the online exam system is not misused to get easy grades. Preparing good question papers/ assessment is imp
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