Protest Continues In JNU, Semester Exams Set To Begin Tomorrow

Semester exams in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) will begin tomorrow. The university has been in headlines since more than 40 days for news on students protesting against a "contentious" hostel manual draft. While the varsity administration has given stern warning to protesting students on the adversities of skipping exams, the students on the other hand backed by the teachers association seem not to withdraw the protest till their demands are met.

In a circular issued on December 4, the university cautioned the students "about the consequences of completing academic assignments and tests, including end-semester examinations, as per the relevant academic ordinances and rules".

"Such students will be ineligible to register in the next semester and hence will cease to be the bonafide students of the university," the circular also read.

JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) has called for boycott of semester exam for which at least 17 schools have held meetings and have extended their support.

While the university has maintained the same note in all the subsequent circulars, the one released today says, "we have received representations from the foreign students regarding the problems faced by the casual and terminal students who visa validity period are about to expire."

Due to the incessant protest which has disrupted both academic and administrative functioning, the varsity would, if necessary, provide an option of additional assignment or exam to the foreign candidates instead of end-semester exam, in order to facilitate the evaluation of their course within the due time.

While exams would begin on December 12, the last date for submission of M.Phil, dissertation/PhD thesis in the schools/ centres and forwarding the same to Evaluation Branch is December 31 for the Monsoon Semester.

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