Assam University issues order; Covid positive students don’t need to sit for examination

Following the revelation of a GC college student contracting the Covid-19 virus amid the ongoing TDC under-graduate examination, the Assam University, Silchar administration has released a fresh set of guidelines today to follow for both the appearing students as well as the staff and teachers associated with the TDC examination.

The TDC students had been protesting for their demand for online examination since last year, to which the University authority ignored and went ahead with their decision of conducting examination exclusively in offline mode.

The examination commenced according to the official schedule on April 6 with a good turnout of students, until yesterday when the news of one Chemistry Honours student contracting the virus shook the entire valley.

Several people from the intellectual community of the city and student associations like ABVP, SFI, NSUI have expressed their concerns regarding the risk of continuing the TDC examination amidst such a situation.

Keeping in mind the increasing cases of COVID-19 across the state of Assam and ongoing examination in affiliated colleges, the following guidelines have been issued by the Controller of Examination, Dr. Suprabir Dutta Roy on behalf of the University, in case any staff or student involved in the examination process are found to develop symptoms of COVID-19. The notification has been issued with the approval of the Vice Chancellor of Assam University, Silchar.

i) In case of development of COVID-19 symptoms, the concerned student/staff is requested to self-isolate and immediately test for Covid-19 (RT-PCR Test).

ii) In the case of COVID positive cases based on the test report, concerned student/ staff should not attend examination/duty until the report turns negative subsequently in course of time. However, the concerned student/staff is expected to report immediately to the concerned Principal of Colleges / Officer-in-Charge of Examination Centres about the matter.

iii) Cases of students who will not be able to appear examination due to becoming COVID-19 positive and having valid report shall be considered separately so that there is no loss of academic session due to failure to appear Odd Semester examination. However, cases without valid COVID-19 positive report obtained from Government/ Government-authorized medical centre will not be considered.

iv) Once the COVID-19 positive report turns out to be COVID-19 negative subsequently, the concerned student shall have to appear remaining examination through offline mode. Concerned Examination Centre shall make arrangement for holding examination of such candidates in a separate room.

v) All Examination Centres are to strictly adhere to the SoP issued by the Govt. of Assam from time to time in this regard.