Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has started the process of conducting its exams amid the lockdown situation prevalent in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, reports NDTV. The lockdown was extended until May 3rd yesterday.

The university issued a statement in which it said that a consultative meeting was held on April 12th among the vice chancellor, rectors, registrar and several deans of schools and chairpersons of special centres. It was decided that respective faculties will be consulted and a set of recommendations will be prepared on the comprehensive mechanism that would be followed to complete the courses, hold examinations, and facilitate dissertations, theses guidance and submissions.

The varsity statement said, “Given that JNU students come from different parts of India and there exists a complex set of problems of good Internet connectivity in rural areas, a flexible, yet efficient, mechanism will be devised by the deans of schools and chairpersons of special centres to facilitate students in completing their academic requirements.”

The deans of schools and chairpersons of special centres are expected to send their recommendations on April 16th after which the final decisions on methods of completing courses and conducting examinations would be notified to the Academic Council.

Earlier reports submitted by various committees had recommended conducting classes online and conducting examinations online through virtual learning methods and cancelling the summer vacation. The JNU Teachers’ Association rejected the recommendations and termed them as academically and practically not feasible.