After several complaints from students across the country over a fake WhatsApp message which created confusion about submission deadlines of assignments for term-end examinations (TEE), authorities at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) have officially announced an extension in deadline for project and assignment submissions till June 15. These were earlier supposed to be submitted by May 31. The ruckus began when a fake WhatsApp message started circulating a few days ago, claiming there has been an extension in deadline for the June 2021 TEE submissions till June 15, instead of May 31. Students alleged that one of the regional centres of IGNOU, RC Pune, also fell prey to the viral message and displayed the changed date on its website, which was deleted later. For the last two days, IGNOU was inundated by calls and demands on social media by students asking for an extension in the deadline. Students gave several reasons for their inability to submit assignments, such as Covid-related restrictions, inability to get study material or stationery, closing down of study centres and more. Some students even said that they themselves or close family members had been infected by coronavirus. Two days ago, IGNOU had put up a notice stating that there would be no extension in the deadline. But on late Monday evening, it put up another announcement on its official Twitter handle, informing students about an extension in the submission deadline. The notice read that due to the unabated effect of the Covid-19 second wave, some students were not able to submit their project reports and assignments within the due date, May 31. In order to facilitate the students, approval has been given for extending the last date of physical/online submission of assignments, project report, internships, field work journal, dissertation for June 2021 term-end examinations, up to June 15.
