Postponement of college exam for CM’s visit in Pudukottai triggers row

With Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay scheduled to visit Pudukottai on November 2, to inaugurate the new bus stand and distribute welfare measure, semester examinations scheduled for the day at the Kalaignar Karunanidhi Government Arts College for Women, an autonomous institution in the town, has been postponed, triggering a row.

The examinations in the college started on October 30 and are to conclude on November 19. However, the examinations scheduled on November 2 have been postponed apparently “keeping in mind the difficulty the students of the college may face in reaching the institution from the bus stand,” said the college authorities.

The exam scheduled on November 2 would be held on a later day. The college office would work as usual on November 2, the college authorities said. Several students of the college hail from the rural areas of the district.

Information about the postponement of the examination on November 2 was conveyed to the faculty members in the college group on a mobile messaging platform a couple of days ago and communicated to the students.

The Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader, T. Velmurugan, in a social media post expressed shock over the postponement of the examination at the college in view of the Chief Minister’s visit.

He condemned the postponement and wondered whether the Chief Minister’s visit was more important than the future of students. “It was the government’s responsibility to make arrangements for security and transportation for the official function. But, action affecting the education and examination of students could not be accepted,” he said.

Meanwhile, arrangements are under way for the Chief Minister’s programme in Pudukottai.

Minister for Labour Welfare and Skill Development J. Mohamed Farvas on Saturday said that the Chief Minister would inaugurate the new bus stand in Pudukottai and distribute welfare assistance to the beneficiaries. The function is to be held at the District Armed Reserve ground during which welfare assistance would be provided to 2,000 beneficiaries. Welfare assistance to the tune of Rs. 100 crore is to be given to 14,000 beneficiaries of Pudukottai district on that day, the Minister told reporters in Pudukottai.