MIC Youth has called for the higher education ministry to take action so that university exams are rescheduled to accommodate Deepavali celebrations.

In a statement, the wing’s higher education bureau chief Mahaganapathy Dass noted that  Deepavali - which falls on Friday, Nov 5 - is flanked by many days of final examinations.

As a result, Mahaganapathy added, Indian students have only three days to return to their hometowns, be with their families and return by the morning of Monday, Nov 8 for the exams.

“We feel this is not far and that the university authorities are not sensitive to the celebrations of the Indian community. The authorities should be more observant (of these things) when organising their yearly calendar events,” he said.

NONE Mahaganapathy said the bureau had received many complaints from Indian university students over the matter, especially from Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in Bangi, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu and Universiti Malaysia Sabah.  

“The same situation occurs in many poli-technics’.

“On such grounds, the MIC national bureau on higher education calls for the higher education ministry to take the necessary steps to ensure this matter is resolved soon,” he added.