Nursing Students Move Kerala High Court Seeking Cancellation Of Offline Exams Citing The Ongoing Pandemic And UGC Guidelines

A plea has been filed before the Kerala High Court today by B.Sc Nursing students challenging the decision of Kerala University of Health Sciences to proceed with offline examinations amid the pandemic. 

Justice Anu Sivaraman will take up the case today. Advocate Arun Samuel and Advocate Jithin Babu will be appearing for the petitioners in the matter. 

Two students enrolled in two different colleges affiliated with the aforementioned University have preferred this petition deeply aggrieved by the alleged gross illegality perpetrated by the respondents in conducting offline examinations notwithstanding the prevailing situation in the State. 

They submitted that upon notification of the exams, several students returned to their respective hostels, and many of them later tested positive for Covid-19. In some of the colleges under the University, students showing symptoms were allegedly not even permitted to undergo a medical test.  

It has also been brought to the notice of the Court that most of the students appearing for the exams have not received the required two doses of the vaccines yet. 

The State had imposed a second lockdown on 8th May 2021 to contain the spread of the pandemic in its second wave and the same was lifted with effect from 17th June.

Thereafter, the State decided to reopen health educational institutions from 1st July. Accordingly, the University notified the timetable for 1st and 2nd year BSc nursing students.  

The petitioners have cited the recently issued UGC guidelines regarding conducting exams in view of the pandemic to support their case. 

They added that several representations containing their grievances had been submitted before the Vice-Chancellor of the University, to which there has been no response till date. 

It has also been submitted that proceeding with the examinations would amount to a violation of their fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India. Under such circumstances, the Court has been called upon to set at naught the unlawfulness and injustice thus exhibited and thereby be aidful to the petitioners.

The examinations are scheduled to commence from 4th August. The petitioners have accordingly sought the cancellation of the proposed examinations. 

Case Title: Azna Beevi & Anr. v. State of Kerala & Ors.