Injured footballer discharged from hospital, not allowed to write exam

A section of students picked an argument with the authorities of St Joseph’s Pre-University College on Tuesday when a footballer, who was operated upon a day before, was not allowed to write the II PU supplementary examination for being late by half an hour.

Rajkiran, who plays for Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), arrived around 10 am, 30 minutes after the scheduled start of the political science examination.

He came directly from Hosmat Hospital where he was operated upon on Monday, two days after he fractured his ankle during a match at the Bangalore Football Stadium.

The college did not allow him to write the exam, despite fervent requests and a ‘perfectly valid’ reason for being late, Rajkiran said. His surgery was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but he got it advanced by a day to be able to write the exam.

Medical insurance

He had claimed medical insurance for the surgery’s cost and the representative from the insurance company arrived at the hospital only at 9.30 am, Rajkiran said.

According to him, he called the college office around 9.15 am and said he would be late by half an hour. The college, however, told him that he should come on time. Rajkiran reached the college after completing the insurance formalities.

At first, the college promised to allow him to write the exam, but refused permission later, Rajkiran said.

“They made me wait for more than two hours before denying permission. Had they flatly refused to let me in at the outset, I would have been less bitter,” Rajkiran told Deccan Herald.

Family angered

The college’s refusal angered his family members and friends who accompanied him. “He had a valid reason for being late. The college should have had the basic courtesy to allow him. He will now lose a year,” Lokesh, Rajkiran’s friend, said.

According to Rajkiran, it was the college’s fault, which resulted in he writing the supplementary exam. He had studied statistics in I PU at Baldwin Boys’ PU College before enrolling in St Joseph’s for II PU. But he had to switch to political science as the college does not offer statistics as a subject.

He had to skip the II PU exam in March/April as the hall ticket mentioned statistics as one of the subjects. The mistake was repeated in the hall ticket of the latest exam, but was rectified later. The college authorities were not available for comments.