File picture of BPUT in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, June 7: Students of various engineering colleges affiliated with Biju Patnaik Institute of Technology (BPUT) today staged protests demanding that the exams be postponed by at least 15 days because of the heat wave.

The agitating students sat on a dharna in front of the BPUT camp office here shouting slogans urging change in the exam dates.

About 20,000 students from across the state are to appear for the sixth and eighth semester exams scheduled for June 9.

“At least 30 persons have died of sunstroke in the state. It is very difficult to venture outdoors in the heat. Also, regular power cuts have hindered our studies,” said Avishiek Acharya, a student.

“The exam timings have been scheduled from 10am to 1pm. It will be almost impossible for students to travel in such hot weather. If exams are postponed by another 15 days, the monsoon would have arrived and we will have less difficulty,” said Gopal Prasad Dash, another student.

The students also protested against shifting of the BPUT camp office from Bhubaneswar to Rourkela.

“There are around 70 engineering colleges around Bhubaneswar. By shifting the camp office, they (the varsity authorities) want to avoid hearing to our grievances. The authorities know that students will not travel all the way to Rourkela to express their grievances,” said Dwarika, a student.

The students also demanded that the changed marks of answer sheets given for rechecking be published.

“I had submitted my papers for rechecking in June last year. It’s been more than a year now. I don’t know when they are going to publish the results. I wish I had not given my papers for rechecking,” said Karan, a student.

About 500 students have submitted their papers for rechecking.

The agitating students also demanded publication of the results of about 2,000 students in the second and fourth semesters. The results have been withheld for the past 10 months.

“Our results have been withheld for months and we are not able to appear for campus placements. This is affecting our career,” said Bimal, a student.

The list of demands handed over to the BPUT authorities were supported by two student union groups — the All Odisha BPUT Students’ Association and the BPUT Students’ Association.

The BPUT authorities could not be contacted for their comments despite repeated attempts.