Third-year undergraduate students in the science stream of colleges affiliated to the North Bengal University held a demonstration near the office of the controller of examinations at the varsity here on Monday to protest a decision to hold practical tests ahead of normal schedule in the current academic year.

The students have said the practical tests are usually held before theory exams which are conducted in March.

However, the varsity has decided to conduct the practical exams in February. Sources said the exams had been advanced in view of rural and civic elections in the Siliguri subdivision next year.

The students said their syllabus wouldn’t be completed before February and the early practical exams would affect the results. “We have two practical papers and syllabus of both the subjects is yet to be completed. But the university has decided to conduct the exams of the two papers around two months ahead of the usual time,” said a physics student of APC Roy Government College in Siliguri.