Dhaka University’s (DU) decision to hold final exams of last year of honours and masters from 26 December, with residential halls remaining shut, has irked many students.
The university took the decision to hold exams to avoid session jam at an academic council meeting on Thursday.
The university has been shut since last March due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic but classes resumed online last June.
The university suddenly took the decision to hold exams maintaining they cannot reopen residential halls which hosts most of the students.
Students of different departments and institutes have termed the decision illogical. They urged the DU authorities to either reopen the residential halls on a limited scale or provide the students with alternative accommodation facilities.
Vice chancellor Akhtaruzzaman, however, said holding exams is very urgent right now and they are not considering anything else at the moment.
“It’s very important to hold exams of honours final year and masters. We can’t reopen the halls considering the coronavirus situation. Departments and institutes would coordinate the accommodation facilities of their students. We don’t have any other option now,” Akhtaruzzaman told Prothom Alo on Thursday night.
Kanak Farzana, a student of the sociology department of the 2016-17 session, has been staying at her hometown Thakurgaon since the university closed due to the pandemic. She termed the decision of the authorities as irrational.
“Where would we stay in Dhaka if the halls remain shut? Even it’s uncertain for the students whose relatives are living in Dhaka to manage their accommodation in this situation. Moreover the risk of a second wave is looming. You have to give advance payment to rent a house in Dhaka. How many of the students have the ability to rent a house as coronavirus has ravaged so many families.”
She also said that most of the students are not prepared to take exams so suddenly.
A post was shared on the Facebook page ‘Swapner Dhaka Biswabidyalay’ regarding the issue. As many as 3,500 students opined that the authorities should open residential halls at a limited scale for holding exams while 170 students expressed their reservations against reopening of halls.
Pro vice chancellor (administration) Muhammad Samad also opined that there should be alternative accommodation facilities.
He said the chemistry department with the help of their alumni has taken initiative of alternative housing facilities for their students.
He said the university authorities can cooperate with departments and institutes if they take the same initiatives such as the chemistry department.
At Thursday's meeting, the DU authorities decided to hold the exams maintaining physical distancing and other health rules.
The departments and institutes will announce the schedules later, a press release from the university said.
The meeting decided that there will be fewer gaps between the exams or even two exams could be held in a day. The time of exams would be half that of normal times.