Power cuts, heat and theft testing students at NU exam centres

Nagpur: Frustration among students appearing for summer examinations under Nagpur University spilled onto social media on Tuesday as several candidates alleged severe mismanagement at multiple exam centres across the city and nearby areas.Students took to Instagram and WhatsApp to complain about repeated power cuts, lack of cooling facilities amid scorching heat, overcrowded classrooms, poor seating arrangements and even incidents of theft reported inside exam centres. Several posts and videos complaining of sweating and suffocation inside examination halls went viral during the day.In one viral vlog, a student alleged that another examinee lost belongings during the examination while CCTV cameras remained shut due to a prolonged power outage lasting over two hours.In another widely shared post, a student criticised the arrangements and questioned the university administration, saying, "Today, during the examination, the invigilator refused to turn on the classroom air conditioning, stating it was not allowed. Conducting exams in such extreme heat without proper ventilation severely impacts students' concentration and performance. NU administration needs to ensure that basic cooling facilities are functional and permitted during university exams." Several other students echoed similar concerns over the 2.30-5.30pm examination shift being conducted during peak summer heat. "Nagpur is already in a heatwave. It's the university's responsibility to take care of students' needs. The university should do something about it. Afternoon timings are becoming unbearable in this heat. The same situation is everywhere. Over 50 students are made to sit in one classroom with just a few fans and no ventilation. It becomes suffocating," said another student."There is no cold drinking water and many classrooms do not even have proper fans. Basic facilities are missing. Power cuts during exam hours make the situation even worse," added another student.Some students also questioned the logic of conducting examinations during May afternoons when temperatures in Nagpur are crossing 45 degrees Celsius. "If any student suffers dehydration, heatstroke or collapses because of these conditions then who will be held accountable?," asked a student. Many students demanded that the university shift examinations to morning hours to avoid health risks during the ongoing heatwave. VC Manali Kshirsagar said the official helplines have received few complaints, but the university will look into those raised on online platforms. "The university is ready to pay, but it is the duty of exam centres to install coolers and provide drinking water apart from good facilities during exams," she said.