Bahauddin, Peshawar varsities accept students’ online exam demand

Peshawar University and Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, have agreed to take online exams after students staged protests to raise their voice against the on-campus examination, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday.

The latest development came after the countrywide protests by student bodies for online exams. The protests were held in Faisalabad, Lahore, Islamabad, Multan and Peshawar. 

The protest in Lahore in front of the University of Central Punjab and a protest by college students in Multan turned violent where police made arrests over law and order situation. 

Now, it has emerged that Peshawar University, where students gathered outside the VC Office to raise their complaints about the on-campus examinations, has accepted the demand and issued a circular in this regard as well.

The circular further asked the heads of the departments to take the final term online examination after permission from the Higher Education Commission.

A letter has been issued from the Registrar's Office to the heads of all departments, institutes, academies and centres.

On the other hand, Bahauddin Zakariya University in Multan administration has also decided to end the physical exams and take online exams.

Reportedly, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) will announce its decision on online classes soon. 

Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood already asked the HEC to sit and consult with the vice-chancellors of the universities in order to solve the matter of protesting students.

On Tuesday, from Islamabad to Lahore and from Peshawar to Multan, students of various universities protested to press their demands for online examinations instead of on-campus examinations.

The protests also intensified after reports of clashes were reported from a protest site at the University of Central Punjab and Science College and Emerson College in Multan respectively. Police baton-charged the irrelevant elements who tried to sabotage the peaceful protest.

Reportedly, the Lahore police have registered cases against 500 students after their protest outside the University of Central Punjab turned violent. The FIRs were registered on the basis of the statement of the varsity’s chief security officer.