Semester exams will be held online despite reopening of colleges, universities: Tamil Nadu minister

🔴 The second, fourth and sixth usually take place in June and chances are high that they may be conducted offline, the minister said.

Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy (Facebook)

A day after the state government announced that all colleges and universities, except those that serve as Covid Care Centres (CCC), would reopen for physical classes from February 1 following Covid-19 guidelines, Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy clarified that the semester examinations will be held online.

Addressing reporters, Ponmudy said the recent announcement from the government to conduct physical classes from February 1 has led to several questions from students and their parents as the education department had already announced that the semester examinations were scheduled to take place in December will be held online from February 1.

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“As per the directions of Chief Minister M K Stalin, the first, third, and fifth-semester exams for arts and science and other students would be held online from February 1. The second, fourth and sixth usually take place in June and chances are high that they may be conducted offline,” Ponmudy said.

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He added, “The announcement to reopen colleges will not affect the decision to hold the examinations online. Students, as well as parents, need not have any doubt. However, practical exams need to be conducted and students have to be physically present for those. On non-exam days, they are required to attend regular classes and that is the reason behind reopening the colleges,” Ponmudy said.

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He said the semester for the first-year engineering students is set to get over by March 25-28 and hence the exams for them would be held depending on the situation then.

Meanwhile, Anna University has rescheduled its exams in view of the urban local body polls scheduled to take place on February 19.

The state government has also withdrawn the night curfew imposed from 10 pm to 5 am and has decided to re-open schools for students of Classes I-XII from February 1. The government has also withdrawn the complete lockdown on January 30 (Sunday). “Further, places of worship will also remain open to the public from today (Friday),” a notification said.

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