Bhubaneswar: Students of Plus II first year student of BJB Autonomous College staged a blockade on the Lewis Road here protesting against the recent decision of the Odisha government, which requires them to secure 33 per cent in the examination to be promoted to second year.
They blocked the road by burning tyres, which brought traffic on the busy route to a standstill.
The annual exam is scheduled to be held from February 15 to 29.
On Tuesday, School and Mass Education Minister Sameer Dash had announced that a student who flunks the exam will not be promoted to the second year. “Remedial classes would be conducted for them and they will be allowed to sit for exam again in May-end,” he had said.
The first-year examination was so far considered a mock test and a student had to just appear in it to qualify for the second year.
Expressing resentment over the decision, the students argued as to how they were expected to take the exam, which was just a month away, and score well too with courses in all streams (Science, Commerce and Arts) yet to be completed.
