Islamic calendar and BC calendar are different in the number of days. BC calendar is based on earth revolution while Islamic calendar is based on the moon’s orbit. The number of days in Islamic calendar is 11 days less fewer than the days in BC calendar. Thus, Ramadhan coincides with final exam arranged based in BC calendar.
Several faculties at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) conducted final exam (UAS) of even semester coinciding with Ramadhan. They were Faculty of ISIPOL, Agriculture, Engineering, Law, and Islamic Religion. The other faculties did not undertake UAS since they applied Competence-Based Curriculum. UAS would be carried out for two weeks, from 22 June to 4 July 2015. In addition, Medical and Nursing Faculty did not conduct UAS because they use block system.
Students have different ideas for taking final exam in Ramadhan. One of them is an International Relation student Galuh P. Ayu. She contended that having UAS in Ramadhan is harder because the brain needs more intakes to think and when fasting we can eat nothing. “On the other hand, it also has positive impacts. In fact, the brain can focus more when the stomach is not getting tired in digesting food,” told Galuh who also lived in Russia in an interview on Thursday (25/6). She inserted that the atmosphere of Ramadhan could support quality of worship by adding the worship time. “We can pray and pray so that UAS can run well,” he added.
Furthermore, having UAS in Ramadhan is the first experience of a student of Civil Engineering batch 2014 Aura Kautsar who has studied for two semesters. She asserted that having UAS in Ramadhan was a little bit exhausting. “For instance, UAS of English course is conducted at 3.30 – 5 pm that it is close to time for break fasting so that it is a little exhausting,” she told. Nevertheless, she did not feel overwhelmed because of having UAS in Ramadhan. “Most of the UAS are open-book so that it is not quite tiring,” she said.
Additionally, a student of Agrotechnology Department Galuh Wayuningtyas informed that there is not any exam in her department. However, there are several compulsory practicums for batch 2012, remedial exercises, and practicum reports, and final assignments. She stated that her family time diminished, but she did not mind doing the activities. “Even though I have to accomplish a lot of assignments by break fasting time, Insya Allah we can do fasting if we have meant it,” she inserted.
