Referring to the protests being held by students, Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood has said that the decision to hold online exams lies with the universities.

The minister in a tweet said that university students are demanding that their exams should be online as they have been studying online, adding that the decision lies with the universities.

However, he added that he has asked Higher Education Commission to consult VCs and see if it is possible given special circumstances this year.

The education minister was of the view that universities should also asses whether they have the technical ability to conduct exams for all students as no one can be left behind.

"It is also necessary to ensure that the online exam system is not misused to get easy grades. Preparing good question papers/ assessment is important," Mahmood said.

Students from all over Pakistan have taken to Twitter as well as to the streets to call on their educational institutions to hold online exams, just as they held online classes.