Kozhikode: The National Institute of Technology (NIT) has taken the decision to postpone examinations and transition to online classes due to a dispute regarding compliance with health guidelines during the Nipah outbreak in the district.
The institute’s move follows complaints from a group of students who reported the institute’s failure to adhere to health guidelines issued in response to the Nipah outbreak in the district. In a press release issued by Dr. Shamasundara M S, the registrar, NIT announced that students and staff residing in the declared containment zones are not permitted to enter the institute until authorized by the district authority.
Online classes will continue until September 23, and NIT has also postponed the scheduled exams for higher classes of UG and PG. The revised exam schedule will be released at a later date, as stated by the registrar in the official communication.
Despite the district administration’s directive for educational institutions in the district to transition to online mode, NIT had continued to conduct on-campus classes. This led students to approach the collector and district medical officer after their pleas went unanswered. Members of the Student Affairs Council stated that NIT conducted classes from the 14th to the 16th of the month, disregarding health advisories.
The institute claimed that it operated on-campus classes because it is funded by the Central government and cited a lack of instructions from the Centre regarding Nipah-related restrictions.
This decision by NIT-Kozhikode to shift to online classes and postpone exams reflects the ongoing challenges faced by educational institutions in balancing academic continuity with health and safety concerns during the pandemic and related outbreaks.