Missed first semester exam? VTU offers second chance

In a relief to the state's engineering students, who were wary about attending the first semester offline exams in the backdrop of rising Covid-19 cases, the university on Wednesday announced that students will be given another chance to appear for the exams and they will still be considered as freshers.

Fearing Covid-19 infection, several students had raised concerns over attending offline exams and demanded online examinations. But the state government had earlier rejected their request. However, on Wednesday, the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) announced that the students who miss out on the exams now can appear for the exams during the second-semester exam.

"Due to unavoidable circumstances arising out of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, if any student misses the examinations in the first semester, they will be allowed to join the second semester and will be permitted to take the missed examinations during the second-semester exams and it will be considered the students' first attempt," explained a statement from VTU. However, this exemption will be provided only for BE regular students.

Meanwhile, the university said that for the exams for two subjects that were already held, the students' attendance was around 98%. "Any delay in completing examinations further will harm the academic schedule and future career of the students as there is already a four months' delay currently. Hence, the students are informed to take the examinations with all seriousness and adhere to all the precautions and SOPs circulated by the university," the statement said.

Further, the affiliated colleges have been directed to make separate arrangements for students who are found symptomatic due to Covid infection. "It is clarified that this exemption applies only in case of Covid related issues," clarified one of the senior officials of VTU.