Social distancing rules flouted during exam fee collection

At a time of state-wide outrage and protests by students against college and university managements, a degree and PG college in Barkatpura went ahead with the collection of exam fees on campus on Tuesday. With a massive student crowd arriving on campus on the penultimate day of submission, social distancing norms and rules went for a toss.

Over 100 students gathered at the college, said an eyewitness who was present to deposit the exam fee. Even though students were screened for temperature, physical distancing was not maintained despite officials at the campus trying to manage the crowd.

“Tomorrow is the last day to submit the examination fee. The college had asked to submit it in person, instead of online. Even as we tried our best to maintain physical distancing, the way students got into a queue, all norms were forgotten,” said another student. Deccan Chronicle reached out to the management of the college who assured that this won’t happen again and that they tried to manage the crowd as effectively as possible.

Students have been demanding a waiver of examination fees across the state in view of the pandemic. M.A. Moheed, vice president, NSUI, Hyderabad blamed the college’s management for not caring about the students’ health. “Institutions are only making attempts to mint money in the name of exam fees.

They are not bothered by the kind of risks students will expose themselves to while doing this.” NSUI

Hyderabad staged a protest on Tuesday near the B.R. Ambedkar statue at Tank Bund, against the government over silence on the student demands for exam fee waiver. Students from various colleges came out in support of the rally, once again breaking all Covid-19 safety norms, and burnt effigies of the CM.