Nilamber-Pitamber University is preparing to conduct its final year degree examinations in the month of September with Covid showing no signs of a let up.

“The university is locating and identifying government schools where we can make our examinees sit and write their papers,” NPU vice chancellor Lakhan Singh told The Telegraph Online on Sunday, adding that they will be split centres “with no compromise on the sanctity of the examination”.

Social distancing among the examinees will be maintained.

“We do not want any compromise on social distancing and so we are looking for space and infra-structural facilities for the government schools which we will procure for the conduction of the examination,” he said, adding that the new centres will make space for a number of ‘over flowing’ students from their colleges.

Sources said the government primary and middle schools may not serve the purpose of an ‘alternate examination centre’ of the university as there can be space crunch and size of desks and chairs may not be suitable for adult examinees to sit comfortably.

Only secondary or high schools can be earmarked for this purpose, they said.

The VC added that their officials are thus identifying high schools.

However, no head of school can offer their school’s premises to NPU to conduct university examinations, as they have to obtain permission from senior officials of the education department.

“We will send our letter of request to DC Palamau Shashi Ranjan with a copy of this letter to the district education officer (DEO) to permit us to use the premises or buildings of these schools,” said the VC.

Registrar of NPU Jayant Shekhar said the principal of JS College, Rana Pratap Singh has been entrusted to get this school procurement business done in collaboration with university controller of examinations SK Pandey.

“Ranaji has the experience of holding university examinations in schools in the past,” he said.

Sources said the NPU is set to face a crunch of invigilators for its alternate examination centres as it is pinning all hopes on government teachers working there.

“We believe the administration will give us the required workforce, such as four teachers, to act as invigilators for a set of 100 examinees,” said the VC.

Sources said that the number is an ideal, but during the pandemic, three or two teachers per 100 students would do.