Extra exam time for students stuck in traffic

SURAT: Colleges in Bharuch and Ankleshwar recently decided to give students extra time in the ongoing examinations if they get caught in traffic jam over Narmada bridges.
At least 2,500 college students from Bharuch and Ankleshwar cross Narmada daily to go to their respective colleges located on the other side of the river. The students start their journey two hours in advance to reach their examination centres on time.However, if delayed, they are not under any pressure because they get extra time to write their papers during the examinations. Many members of the faculties also reach late sometimes. Their colleges are forced to keep replacements for them ready.
The problem of traffic jam had forced the colleges here to make adjustments and come out with a system that jelled with the students and the members of the faculty equally. All that the students and faculty members have to do on being caught in traffic jam is to inform their college authorities over phone or by sending a SMS to them. The college concerned then condones the delay.
"If a student is delayed by a few minutes and has informed his teacher, we provide him or her relaxation in time during examinations. We ask students to start early but still sometimes they are delayed because of jam. Many times members of faculties also get delayed. We have to keep replacements ready for them as examinations are on," said Vijay Joshi, principal, M K Commerce College, Bharuch.
The situation is same for those going from Bharuch to Ankleshwar. "Students are supposed to leave their home two hours in advance for a journey that should otherwise take just 30 minutes. We have to make adjustments even during examinations because of this traffic jam problem," said B K Bhatt, principal, Shree Manilal Kadakiya College of Management and Computer Studies, Ankleshwar.
It is tough job for examination department officials of Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU) to conduct examination in colleges of Bharuch. "In case of an emergency during examinations, VNSGU officials can reach any college in south Gujarat within three hours. However, if it is Bharuch, they can't without having planned for it in advance. The examination department plans things for colleges in Bharuch keeping the issue of traffic jam in view," said A V Dhaduk, controller of examination, VNSGU.