STUDENTS BIGGEST ISSUE THIS LOCKDOWN: EXAMS
Coronavirus has spread at its peak. The world is facing infinite number of problems. The number of Covid -19 cases in India have crossed 1 lakh mark . According to the news and media updates, the issue will not be solved at the earliest and we can not predict the time that will be taken to completely eradicate its spread. The number of issues due to the lockdown is at infinity. The middle class , the daily wage workers and the poor section of the society are suffering a lot. We are at the stage of lockdown 4 , with no predictions of the future. Under these circumstances, the biggest issue of students is examination.
We are at the stage of lockdown for more than two months now. There is no medicine or vaccine that can cure the disease and it totally depends on our immune system. In such a pandemic, the notice to conduct the exams seems scary. Schools and colleges are the places of collective mass. We can not take this risk. According to the latest news updates, Barabanki has got 95 Covid -19 cases in a single day and it is a huge number . The disease is infectious, without any cure so accordingly the decisions should be taken. Firstly, the mandatory stuff should be processed like to work on the jobs of the daily wage workers and to help people who are sleeping without having their dinner, the medical facilities and many more. No doubt, the government is doing its best but the conduction of examination is a secondary need and it is really risky.
Why are the students worried? Large number of students have a rural back. Many students studying in various metropolitan cities belong from a small village or town. The electricity and most importantly, the internet and network issues exist. Moreover , the hostellers do not have their books, notes and other materials with them. In such a pandemic , there is a shortage of study material for them and not every place has proper internet connection. The conduction of examinations is the biggest problem for them.
Is it really necessary to conduct the exams? The current situation is not stable and if it is a process that should be followed then it can be done next year also. The basic need of education is knowledge then why to relate it with marks. Most of the schools are doing the best to provide online classes but there are many children who do not get access to this facility . Think about them, and the decision should be taken maturely. Currently, 48 states in US have suspended in-person classes for the rest of the academic year.We do not want a second wave of coronavirus spread like China.
Still, India is not fully capable to conduct the exams because it is true that we have learnt the system of online classes and online exams during the period of lockdown. Unlike other countries, we are not used to with the system and we have adopted this system because of some mere conditions . On the other hand, countries like US and Japan are used to with the online education sytem. So, it will not be a good decision to conduct the exams in the lackage of resources.
As per reports, IIT Bombay has delivered the decision that the exams will be evaluated based on past performances of the students. Amitava De said that IIT Bombay ruled out the option of holding exams online due to poor internet connectivity in many places. The official notice will be delivered soon and nothing has been finalized for now. A professor from Delhi Institute also talked about internet connectivity and said that it would be unfair to evaluate ,based on online examination as there are around 20% of students who do not have access to the Internet.Moreover ,The Amity University has cancelled the exams and will grant promotion to the next semester.Many other institutes have not finalized their decision but are preparing to deliver the official notice.
The Education board has also decided to change the pattern of examination. The decision will vary for different boards but the basic ideology is to provide a mcq pattern with less number of questions, they have also planned to reduce the time of conduction of examination. Further, the exams will be conducted in various shifts. Though the plannig is great, it will not reduce the risk of infection and the spread of the disease.
According to the NDTV reports, people are suffering with eye strain during the lockdown as the number of hours to spend on screen have increased rapidly. Prolonged exposure to gadgets can cause various eye problems ranging from dryness, irritation and redness, to grittiness and watering in the eyes and even headache. The exposure to blue light, coming out of the display screens phones is the main reason for dryness.
The teachers are also facing many problems while hosting the online classes. It is something new to them too. According to the updates by Hindustan Times, the Delhi University staff complains of harassment and abusive posts during the online classes. Also, online stalking and harassment by some parents is another area of concern.
Further, the media and newspaper cell awares the old aged people and children to stay home due to their weak immune system but this does not mean that the youth of the nation is too strong to bear the virus. They too need care. The decisions should be taken accordingly . Education is not only about marks, it is about knowledge too. Inspire and motivate , the youth to create something new and these fresh minds can give a lot to the nation . It is not only about following the pattern or the process. Remember that health is wealth. A healthy nation is the primary need and the conduction of examination is the secondary need. I hope, the point is clear.
