The concern around the examination and other educational activities has been increasing day by day. Several councils and boards have been working rigorously to offer quick solutions to the growing complications of the students.
Concerns regarding the entrance test guidelines, admission procedure, etc. have been witnessed lately by the state universities and institutions. Therefore, steps have been taken to offer a flexible solution to complications of the students.
Students use social media to register their concerns
Social media platforms have been flooded with the tweets of students and aspirants lately. The global pandemic has been the students clueless about their futures and brining a question about future job roles, opportunities, learning, admissions and much more.
Due to the massive presence of students on the social media platforms from different social backgrounds, a hashtag has caught the eye of the authorities. The #NoBHUExamInCovid has been storming the social media indicate the concerns of the students.
The hashtag indicated the demand of BHU students for the cancellation of their final year examination. The students have been demanding a promotion based on their previous result and performances for further studies.
The final year BHU students have been taking social media by storm and have been protesting against the guidelines issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC). UGC has been directing the universities in different states to conduct the examinations in September 2020.
Therefore, hundreds of students have been protesting against this mandate due to several reasons. The social war has caught the eye of the authorities as well. However, the pandemic has made the situation tricky for both the parties.
Several complications have been faced by the educational committees as well as the students from different learning spheres. The ongoing situation has been urging the authorities to take quick actions to eliminate the growing concerns of the students.
The students of Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi have been facing the same issues and therefore, took to different social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, etc. to speak themselves out. Their counterparts have been facing the same issues, and therefore the movement gained massive momentum and caught the eye of UGC.
#NoBHUExamInCovid trending
The hashtag- #NoBHUExamInCovid speaks for itself and explains the outrage of the students. The students have been continuously demanding the cancellation of their final year examinations and have been urging the authorities to consider their previous scores and performance for further promotions.
Due to the nation-wide lockdown, closure of public places and restriction of public transportation, the students have been on the verge of losing their essential learning years.
Moreover, since the coronavirus pandemic cases have been continuously increasing in different states and cities, students to have been restricted to step out the four walls of their house into the perilous crisis.
The Banaras Hindu University and its authorities have been planning to conduct the final year examinations in September through an offline conducting mode. Majority of students will be required to travel from one state and city to another for participating in the examinations for final year results.
However, as per the prevailing health crisis in the country, it is not feasible for students to travel and go against social distancing norms. Students also claimed that they would be required to stay at hostels in double, triple or multiple accommodation facilities. This will, in turn, expose students to perilous situations risking their health and well-being.
Moreover, the situation would also push students towards using multiple public washrooms, eating places, travel, etc. the common washrooms, restrooms and dining areas in hostels will not be able to maintain social distancing norms, as claimed by some.
However, the university authorities have been claiming that proper sanitisation of the exam hall and thermal scanning at the entrances will be provided. However, these measures will not be helpful to prevent the appearing students from coming in contact with multiple virus sources and hence, risking their lives altogether.
Considering the presence of asymptomatic virus infection, the students have been urging not to step out of their homes in the wage of the pandemic. Therefore, travelling from one city to another would go against their opinions.
Students raising genuine questions
Multiple students have been urging to release the final results based on internals or previous examinations, as done in case of 10th and 12th. Moreover, with the evident usage of the hashtag, the students have also been outspoken about the educational board atrocities faced by them.
Numerous students claimed that the board is exceptionally concerned about conducting the examination and has turned a blind eye towards the healthy well-being and mental states of the students. They also questioned that if the board could promote the intermediate students, then why can’t the same approach be taken for them.
A student added that the scores of the internal examination, project reports, semester exams, etc. can be combined to release the final percentile or marks. With other similar questions and demands, the social media platforms witnessed a war of words, opinions and much more.
Another key step taken by the students was to release petitions requesting others to make the movement massive and demand that the authorities ensure quick solutions to their problems.
Several petitions challenging the guidelines issued by the UGC have been filled in the Supreme Court. Seeing the response of the students and the urgency of the issue, the Supreme Court will be hearing the first batch of petitions on 27th July 2020 with the top judge panel.
One of the petitions has been filed by a batch of 31 students coming from 13 states and one union territory of the nation. The batch includes a COVID-19 positive student as well. The petitions and pleas seek the urgent cancellation of the offline paper scheduled in September.
The plea also states that the degrees should be awarded to successful students by 31st July. Students are also suggested UGC adopt to a CBSE-like model allowing the dissatisfied students to appear in the examination again after the situation gets normal.
Stay connected with fellow students on PaGaLGuY for CAT Exam 2020 Discussion
Stay connected with fellow students on PaGaLGuY for XAT 2020| XLRI 2020 – Admit Card, Exam, Result
Stay connected with fellow students on PaGaLGuY for MAT Exam Discussion
Stay connected with fellow students on PaGaLGuY for IBSAT 2020 Exam Discussion