Mangaluru: Students of St Agnes College, located near Bendorewell in Mangaluru, staged a protest on Monday, October 12, opposing the college management’s decision to conduct degree semester examinations during the Dasara festive period. Hundreds of students boycotted the examinations and gathered outside the college gate, demanding that the exams be postponed to allow them to participate in the festival celebrations.
The protest received support from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which joined the students in opposing the examination schedule. Student representatives alleged that the college management had not responded positively to their requests to reschedule the examinations.
The semester examinations are scheduled to be held from October 12 to October 28. Students said the timing would prevent them from participating in Dasara celebrations and religious programmes in Mangaluru and the surrounding region.
Students demand postponement of examinations
The main objection raised by the students is that the examination schedule overlaps with the Dasara festive period. Mangaluru Dasara is an important annual celebration in the coastal region, attracting devotees and visitors for religious ceremonies and cultural events.
Students participating in the protest said they wanted an opportunity to celebrate the festival and take part in local religious programmes without having to worry about examinations.
They alleged that they had already submitted a request to the college management to postpone the examinations. However, according to the protesting students, their appeal had not resulted in a change to the timetable.
The students subsequently decided to boycott the examinations and stage a demonstration outside the college entrance. They demanded that the management reconsider its decision and announce a revised schedule.
ABVP extends support to the protest
ABVP representatives joined the students in the demonstration, backing their demand for postponement of the examinations.
The student organisation criticised the decision to conduct examinations during the festive period and called for the concerns raised by students to be addressed. Protesters also alleged that students had not been given a Dasara holiday period that would allow them to participate in the celebrations.
The students said the issue was particularly important because of the significance of Dasara in the coastal region. They maintained that postponing the examinations would enable them to take part in the festivities while completing their academic responsibilities.
The protest continued outside the college gate as students raised slogans against the examination schedule and pressed the management to reconsider its position.
Complaint submitted to district authorities
Student groups also approached the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner, bringing the dispute over the examination timetable to the attention of the district administration.
They requested intervention over the scheduling of the examinations during the Dasara period and urged the authorities to help resolve the issue.
The students’ complaint reflects their attempt to seek a solution beyond discussions with the college management. However, no confirmed decision to postpone the examinations was available in the initial reports.
The immediate demand from the protesters remained the same: they wanted the college to reconsider the timetable and provide students with an opportunity to participate in the festival.
Police intervene as protest intensifies
As the demonstration continued, police personnel reached the college premises to manage the situation. According to reports, officers attempted to take ABVP student leaders into custody.
The move prompted further protests, with some students reportedly blocking the police vehicle and objecting to the detention attempt. The situation intensified as students demanded that the leaders not be taken away.
Police officials appealed to the protesters to cooperate with officers and avoid obstructing their work. The demonstration continued as students maintained their opposition to the examination schedule.
The police intervention added another dimension to the protest, which began with a demand for the postponement of semester examinations during the Dasara period.
College examination schedule remains under focus
St Agnes College is an autonomous institution, and its published examination regulations provide for odd-semester end-semester examinations during October and November. The current dispute centres on the specific dates chosen for the examinations and the students’ request for a change to accommodate Dasara celebrations.
The protesting students have argued that their requests should be considered in view of the festival’s importance in Mangaluru and the surrounding coastal districts. The college management’s position on the demands was not detailed in the initial reports.
As of the latest reports on Monday, students were continuing their demonstration outside the college, seeking a resolution.
Whether the examinations will be postponed remains unclear. The issue has brought the college’s examination schedule, students’ festival-related concerns and the response of the administration into focus during the ongoing Dasara celebrations.