Peshawar University to hold all exams online

Peshawar University has decided to hold its fall semester exams online this year,

Last week, the varsity said it would be cancelling all on-campus exams for the fall semester after protests by students.

A notification was issued on Wednesday to the heads of all departments at the varsity informing them of the development.

Students have argued that even though the government has allowed universities to resume on campus teaching from February 1, that doesn't mean it's safe to hold exams.

They also argue that after a full semester of online learning, it is only fair for exams to be held online as well.

The same day the Lahore police registered cases against 500 students after their protest outside the University of Central Punjab turned violent on Tuesday.

The FIRs were registered on the basis of the statement of the varsity’s chief security officer. He told the police that the protesters were armed and had organised a sit-in outside the university despite multiple warnings.

Students across Pakistan have taken to the streets in protest of the universities’ decision of physical exams for fall semester 2020-2021.

They have demanded that their exams should be held online since their classes were online the entire semester. “The learning management system was not working most of the time and the quality of our classes was very bad,” one of the protesters complained.

The students have demanded that the exams should either be taken online or universities should postpone the finals.

“Give us classes on campus for two months and then take the exams,” they said, adding that otherwise, they will continue their protests. Following this, #StudentsWantOnlineExams started trending on Twitter.

Protests sprung up in other parts of the country such as Bahawalpur, Multan, and Dera Ghazi Khan as well. Following this, a number of varsities such as the University of Management and Technology and the University of Peshawar reverted their decision and postponed the exams.

The managements of the universities had earlier said that as the government was reopening universities from February 1, they might as well take exams on campus.

Earlier this week, Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said the Higher Education Commission will consult with varsities on the matter but the final decision rests in the managements’ hands.

The HEC does not have any authority over the academic decisions made by the varsities, Punjab Minister for Higher Education Raja Yasir told SAMAA TV. “The HEC only advises them when they consult the body.”

He condemned the action taken by the students. “This way anyone will come onto the streets and blackmail the authorities to make decisions in their favour.”

Yasir added that the varsities should talk to students and reach a decision that is acceptable for both the students and the management.