After the announcement of general
promotion, the UGC on the recommendation of Ministry of human resources development
has changed the decision by releasing revised guidelines on universities examinations.
Revised guidelines of UGC declares
final year exam mandatory to conduct till 30 September. After the revised
guidelines, Students are protesting against the UGC and MHRD.
The student organization World Student
Union has wrote a letter to MHRD and UGC about the problems of students and
with their solution. In the letter, WSU has requested to reconsider the
decision and implement some changes.
WSU letter to HRD Minister INDIA#SayNoToUGCGuideline #cancelfinalyearexam #HaryanaAgainstExam #WSU4Students pic.twitter.com/NaSx7SuAck
— World Student Union (@WorldStudentUn) July 9, 2020
World Student Union, an international organization,
has sent a copy of letter to Prime Minister Office. Founder and President of
organization Ashish Rajput said that there are many reason with which we are
against it. We have included our all reason with data and facts in letter and
have sent to related ministry. In pandemic, when thousands of cases are
increasing daily, 78% positive cases are without symptoms, how government will
secure the students? WHO has issued an advisory that virus can spread through
air. It is big reason of concern but government is not worry about it.
Let’s take a view to letter, that WSU has
sent to MHRD.
To
Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal
Nishank
Hon’ble HRD Minister INDIA
New Delhi
Subject : Regarding the Revised UGC Guidelines on
Examination
Respected Sir,
As the pandemic situation is not under control in country
and India has become the third worst affected country in the world with highest
number of corona cases, organization is concerned about the UGC guidelines that
make compulsory to conduct final year exam and backlog exam.
As the India is third worst affected nation and there is no proof
that situation will be better in future till September, the decision can create
a threat to life of students, who will appeared in exams.
WSU agree with statement that it is very crucial to ensure
academic credibility, career opportunities and future progress of students
globally. Academic evaluation of students is very important milestone in any
education system. The performance in examinations gives confidence and
satisfaction to the students and is a reflection of competence, performance and
credibility that is necessary for global acceptability.
But we have to understand that the situation, India and
World is facing is extraordinary.
Due to lack of experience and special provisions related to
examination in pandemic act, it is not easy today to take decision on
examinations. But it has become mandatory to change the laws and regulations
with the changing time and increasing threat to life.
Today, World is suffering from the worst pandemic of the
last hundred years. This is the time for us to find ways to save mankind and
make efforts to keep everyone safe. It is responsibility of the government not
to let excessive burden on health services. Having offline examinations of
millions of students in pandemic will be like extra burden on health system.
India is already facing lack of corona tests, hospitals and better facilities
due to increase in thousands of cases daily.
We have already seen the worst situation in Italy, Spain,
Britain, USA and Brazil. India is still fighting against Corona, and we wish
nation will win But to ensure victory, we have to reconsider the examination
decision.
I would like to draw attention towards the mental condition
of students. As you are aware that India was in complete lockdown (Universities
and other educational institutions across the country have been closed since 16th
March) and still today, youth is in lockdown (Unlock 2 has been implemented but
today’s situation for youth is not different than lockdown), following safety
measures announced by central government. If we see to upcoming months, there
is no sign of better situation and we assume, youth will follow lockdown
situation till September (i.e. exam). Continuously living in home to five month
can change mental condition, increase depression, anxiety, and frustration and
create other mental disorder. In such situation, it is not easy to preparation
of exam and concentrate mind on study.
As India is largest democratic nation, gives complete
freedom to citizens to move around the nation, the changed situation due to
lockdown has created serious impact over them. It is responsibility of
government to think twice about examination because of mental condition of
students.
I would like to draw your attention to another serious
problem of students that is non availability of books and other study materials
of hostel students. After the announcement of lockdown, all students had
returned to home without study materials and now it is not easy to go back to
hostel due to rules and lack of transportation.
The transport problem is not just for hostel students, but
even also for other students. The transport service is not functioning as
usually and also it will not easy to follow social distancing in college route.
The mostly chance of infection will be in between route of home to college and
college to home. It should not forget that we have seen such situation in
offline board examinations have been conducted in various states.
It is also a point to think seriously that in offline exam,
there will gathering in colleges and there is no surety who is corona positive
or not. We also have to think that according to latest research, mostly corona
cases are without symptoms. According to BBC report, only 22% of people testing
positive for corona virus reported having symptoms on the day of their test. If
any corona positive student without symptoms enters in examination hall,
temperature scanner can’t identify him or her. We should strictly concern about
it.
Mostly students are from middle class and have just one or
two rooms in home. If anyone become corona positive, he or she can’t go in home
quarantine. Hospitals are already full, and then what has government decided to
tackle such situation.
It is also a point to be concerned that new theory has
proved that corona virus is spreading through Air. Airborne transmission of the
novel corona virus is highly virulent, and could be the dominant route for the
spread of COVID-19, according to a study which assessed the progression of the
pandemic in three major epicenters across the world. After this new research,
government should issue new notice with guidelines to protection but Government
has decided to exam.
Before the revised guidelines of UGC, various state
governments have already formed a committee to review preparations for offline
examinations. Central government should consider lack of resources and
facilities of Universities and state government to conduct offline
examinations. The decision of offline exam will definitely make a big problem
for the students.
I would like to draw your attention to problem of students
related to online examinations. In various states, state government had already
formed committees to check possibility of online exams and had asked to
universities to submit status of resources to conduct online exam. It should be
noted that except some private colleges and universities, mostly universities
in all states were not interested to conduct online exam due to lack of
resources. Then it is question that how universities can conduct online
examination after revised guidelines of UGC.
The another option of examinations that is proposed in
guidelines and already accepted by Delhi University, is open book exam (also a
part of online exam) but we have seen many cases when students have faced
problems to download online question paper and in uploading it. Keeping in mind
the interest of rural areas, there is much need of proper preparation for
conduct Open book exam.
It is also a challenge to conduct examination and then
conduct semester examination again just after 3 month later in January. The
upcoming session 2019-20 will be shorter and still no announcement of syllabus
reduction (As ministry has done for Board classes). With shortest duration of
study (no confirmation that it will be completely online or partial online mode
of study due to worst situation of pandemic), it will be extra burden on
students of examinations. Academic calendar that is proposed by UGC will create
an unseen situation and problem for both students and education system.
In a letter F.No.16-16/2020-U1A, there is mention of various
universities that have decided to conduct final year exam. University of
Cambridge, Imperial college of London (UK), University of Toronto (Canada),
University of Heidelberg (Germany), University of Hong Kong have resorted to
the online
Technology based mode of examinations. National University
of Singapore, University of Adelaide of Australia, Oxford University, have
scheduled their exam to take in home format. Alternative form of assessment
like Open book exam, Term paper, Continuous assessment, Presentations,
Assignments, time limited exams have been preferred as a substitute for exam in
select countries of Asia and Europe.
In comparison with above mentioned Universities with India
Universities, There is big difference in no. of students, facilities, Corona
virus spreading rate, Overall no of corona positive cases in that nation,
online connectivity of students etc. It is not fare with students of India,
that Ministry is taking decision to keeping in mind the procedure followed by
other Universities. Indian Universities (Not all, but mostly) can’t provide
facilities to conduct offline exam and there is poor connectivity of internet
and lack of other resources (It is important to consider to conduct online
exam).
With All the above mentioned reasons, WSU recommend that -
Ministry should reconsider the decision of compulsory final
year and backlog exam.
The state governments should be allowed to take decisions at
state level.
The offline examination should not be conducted in any way.
Government should conduct (If and only if it is compulsory)
examinations online in which there is absolutely no risk of infection.
Government should focus on assignment work, report making, and
other formats of exams.
Government should conduct exams in mid August and there shouldn’t
be more delay.
Government should reduce the syllabus of upcoming session.
If anyone wants to improve its grades, there should be a
chance to appear in exam again.
Keeping in view the problems of the students, the
organization requests you to work on above recommendations and take suitable
step in interest of student community. We hope that ministry will take right
decision and under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Students
community will not feel alone and will not be forced to sit in exam under
threat to life.
Ashish Rajput
President
World Student Union
Now it is important to watch what the
decision government takes after letter and will there any changes in guidelines.
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