Students staying in hostels and those hailing from faraway places seem a worried lot as Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) examination schedules remain unchanged amid COVID-19 scare. The exams will begin on Monday.
Several students had e-mailed to the varsity authorities after COVID-19 scare spread in Ernakulam district over the past one week. However, the sixth and fourth semester exams, beginning on Monday and Tuesday respectively, will be held as scheduled, according to university officials.
Incidentally, students living in hostels and who were not able to travel on a daily basis from their native places on examination days, were permitted to stay back in hostels despite the government’s decision to close down colleges in view of the COVID-19 situation. “Many students had left for home anticipating that the varsity may postpone exams.
However, those staying in faraway places chose to stay back at hostels considering the logistical hurdles in commuting during exam time,” said some students.
Various college managements have asked students to remain confined to hostel rooms and not to venture out. “We were allowed to stay back in hostels on condition that we would not move out of the hostel premises. Except for having food, we are mostly confined to our rooms,” said a final year student of a city college.
Those running private hostels have permitted residents to return home on condition that they will produce medical certificates before appearing for exams.
A private hostel manager said the condition was set as a precautionary measure and as per directives issued by the Health authorities.
On why exams were not postponed despite the COVID-19 situation, MGU authorities said the entire exam schedule would be derailed if exams were postponed.
