Nursing Students Protest at Dow University to Demand Exam Rescheduling
KARACHI: Nursing students in Karachi staged a sit-in protest outside the main gate of the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) on Wednesday, demanding the immediate rescheduling of their English Literature examination. The demonstration disrupted traffic on the busy surrounding roads as students gathered in large numbers, chanting slogans against the university administration for what they termed an unfair and rushed academic schedule.
The protesting students expressed deep frustration over the current academic scheduling, arguing that they were not given adequate time to prepare for the English Literature paper alongside their rigorous clinical training. Representatives of the nursing students warned that if the university administration fails to announce a new date for a retake of the exam, they will escalate their protest. “We have been forced to take to the streets because the administration refused to listen to our legitimate academic concerns,” one of the protesting students stated, adding that their academic future is at stake.
The protest highlights the growing friction between student bodies and public sector university administrations in Pakistan over examination policies and academic calendars. Such demonstrations frequently lead to severe traffic gridlocks in Karachi’s central districts, causing immense inconvenience to commuters and emergency ambulance services heading to nearby major healthcare facilities, including the Civil Hospital Karachi. Observers note that a lack of structured communication channels between university management and students often escalates minor academic disputes into public law and order situations.
As of Wednesday evening, the Dow University administration had not issued an official response to the students’ demands, though security personnel were deployed near the campus to prevent any untoward incidents. Student representatives have threatened to block major traffic arteries, including M.A. Jinnah Road, if their demands for a rescheduled exam are not met within the next twenty-four hours.