Public unis may start taking online exams after 25 May

The public universities may start taking their pending final examinations through online platforms after 25 May this year.

The vice-chancellors of the public universities and the education ministry's committee on online exams made the decision at a meeting on Wednesday. The education ministry will issue a notice soon in this regard, said sources.

Professor Muhammed Alamgir, a member of the committee and the University Grants Commission, told The Business Standard all the vice-chancellors have agreed to hold the online examinations after Eid-ul-Fitr.

"We will send the summary of the meeting to the education ministry. The ministry will take final decision in this regard. As far as I know, the ministry will soon issue a notice regarding the restrictions on holding university examinations," said Professor Md Alamgir.

The previous government directive said no public university can hold exams till 25 May.

Professor Dr Farid Uddin Ahmed, vice-Chancellor of Shahjalal University of Engineering and Technology, told TBS they will hold the examinations online. 

"Among the topics we discussed at the meeting were: the question should be creative, the exams must be held for a short time, any unfair means during exams must be checked, verbal exams must be recorded, the students must make video and show their practical knowledge, and the exams result must be prepared following the international standard," said Professor Dr Farid Uddin Ahmed.

He further said, "The universities can take decisions to hold the exams as they see fit. We will hold an academic council meeting and fix the date of the exams and other issues."

The students have been waiting to appear at their final examinations since March 2020, when the government declared the educational institutions closed as a measure toward combating the Covid-19 pandemic.

There are 46 public universities with about 40 lakh students in the country.

Dhaka University to hold exams from 1 July

Dhaka University has already decided to hold the pending examinations from 1 July this year.

Dhaka University Pro vice-chancellor Prof ASM Maksud Kamal confirmed the matter to TBS, saying the decision was taken at a meeting of the deans' committee on Wednesday.

He said the university administration expects to hold examinations physically from 1 July if the Covid-19 situation improves by then. However, they will hold the examinations online in due time if the situation does not improve.

He also said the deans of the faculties and the directors of the institutes have been entrusted with formulating a strategy aimed at ensuring the acceptability of the examination and the students' participation.

They were asked to submit the strategy within two weeks.

At the same time, the teachers will be provided with the necessary training about taking online examinations.

These decisions will soon be approved at a special meeting of the University's Academic Council, added Prof Maksud Kamal.