Law students have started a petition asking the Bar Council to reverse its decision requiring exams to be sat in person on campus, and to allow online testing again.
The petition says students enrolled expecting to hold down jobs while they studied, an option that was open both to people in Male' and to those living on islands.
Students say the physical exam rule creates logistical and financial problems. Working students face taking leave employers have not approved. Students in the atolls have to pay for travel and accommodation to reach exam halls in the centre.
The petition says academic integrity measures have been in place since the programme started, and that students were trained on online exam ethics and monitoring.
"Most of us are studying for this degree under the government's 'National Free Degree Scheme.' Current rules state that if a student is forced to drop out mid-way due to rules like this 'Physical Examination Rule,' they are legally and financially required to pay back all tuition fees," one student said.
Students argue that online testing gives nobody an unfair advantage. Invigilation already involves mandatory lockdown browsers, webcam monitoring and 360-degree room scans at the start of the exam. Timing rules are strict, and nobody is admitted once an exam has finished.
The petition accepts that lawyers must meet the highest ethical standards but says sitting in a hall is not what produces that, pointing to universities in Australia and the UK that recognise distance learning and monitored online exams. Students have asked the Bar Council to review the decision without penalising the current cohorts.
