The Home Affairs department is being asked not to penalise foreign students facing uncertainty over the exam timetable as a result of the #FeesMustFall protests. Many international students are in the position that their exams may be postponed past the expiry date of their visas‚ the University of Cape Town says.UCT is making representations‚ through the International Education Association of South Africa (the national body for international offices countrywide)‚ the Department of Higher Education and Training and Universities SA‚ to the Department of Home Affairs to resolve any permit or visa issues.“UCT is particularly concerned that such students should not be penalised by the Department of Home Affairs‚” it said in a statement.- The university is still uncertain about a final date for the exams‚ saying: “The circumstances that prevail at UCT (and many other South African universities) are unprecedented. The situation is fluid and changes at short notice. We are making every effort to manage the situation as best possible”.A provisional date‚ dependent on agreement with students and staff this week‚ is for “scheduled activities” – including include access to labs‚ the libraries and study space - to resume on 2 November 2015 and examinations to start on 9 November 2015.The university sounded an alarm that time was running out: “We are working towards this goal. If we do not succeed we may not have 2015 exams this year”.It is unclear if final-year students will be graduating in December this year.If graduation is delayed‚ students who have employment from January 2016 may – once they have completed all exams and met the degree/diploma requirements‚ ask the faculty examination committee to declare that the student is a qualifier. UCT said: “The university will issue letters to the students stating they are qualifiers‚ and will graduate at a ceremony during 2016. A student’s transcript will be available to show the degree has been completed”.Students will be able to stay in university residences until 72 hours after their last exam but those in private accommodation will need to negotiate their own extensions to their leases if they are due to expire before the end of the extended exam period.- Earlier today‚ UCT appeared to have made another concession in the face of continuing student protest.It issued a terse statement saying: “The senior executive of the University of Cape Town‚ with the support of council‚ have agreed to the principle of insourcing at UCT”.Wednesday’s communiqué followed Tuesday night’s announcement that the “interdict previously granted (on October 19‚ 2015) was cancelled today via a legal process”.“The interdict is therefore no longer in place. UCT has also made representations to the director of public prosecutions to have all charges arising from last week’s protest actions dropped.”This had been expected as RDM News Wire reported last Friday that vice-chancellor Max Price said UCT would consider lifting the interdict it obtained last Monday‚ explaining that “was an appropriate and necessary action to take at that time”‚ but “has been misunderstood to be a charge against individuals and organisations”“It has also become encumbered with connotations of brutality and police action‚” said Price at the time.“This was certainly not intended‚ as its purpose was to protect the rights of those writing exams and wishing to access the campus.“I believe that it is possible to propose lifting the interdict (it is actually imposed and lifted by a court‚ not by the university) as an act of good faith on the understanding that protest will remain peaceful‚ lawful‚ respectful of the rights of all‚ and within acceptable limits. We have set this in motion.”..