CANCELLATION OF EXAMS was need of the hour, students and parents are forever indebted to CM Capt Amarinder Singh for this decision: Akshay Sharma, President NSUI Punjab
Akshay has been leading students’ voice throughout lockdown in Punjab and had also written to Union HRD Ministry over the delicate issue
With Punjab announcing cancellation of college and university examinations in view of rising Covid cases nationwide, students and anxious parents have finally heaved a sigh of relief. Leading the demand vociferously, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) Punjab has lent a credible voice to the students throughout the lockdown phase with State President Akshay Sharma leading them in apprising the state leadership, Union HRD Ministry, and University authorities about their genuine concerns and fears amidst prevailing Covid situation.
Right onwards March third week when instances of cases were reported & lockdown was enforced I started approaching university authorities across state fearing loss of education for our students, says Akshay Sharma. Nobody knew the situation would be so grim across the globe and initially our request was to proactively consider alternative modes of imparting education especially to poor and less privileged students during lockdown.
The decision by Captain Amarinder Singh ji to eventually cancel the examinations was need of the hour and students would be forever indebted to the Chief Minister, Akshay says further. With number of cases rising alarmingly nationwide, there was a palpable fear amongst parents who were anxious for the safety of their wards and now are grateful to the Chief Minister for ensuring their safety and health.
Pointing out that NSUI Punjab facilitated safe return of over 1200 majority of them Kashmir students stuck in various state colleges in Patiala and Mohali during lockdown, Akshay Sharma says it was literally impossible for these students to come back and sit for exams. With intra-state travel rules tightened as part of emergent slew of measures taken by Punjab in view of hike in Corona cases in neighbouring states it was not feasible to ask students to come back. I took a delegation of students and met our Higher Education Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa who assured of early resolution of our memorandum demands.
I have been in constant touch with students who have been exchanging thousands of messages daily with me on my Whatapp or Facebook, the young leader from Amritsar shared adding during one such meeting with GNDU VC he actually showed him all those messages to urge him to consider postponing exams till a viable solution was not found for holding these papers.
Underlining the threat to student safety if physical examinations were carried as was being thought over by centre at one time, I also wrote to Union HRD Minister highlighting grave possibility of likely rise in cases if students were asked to assemble for exams. We had submitted a detailed memorandum to the Union Ministry and we are thankful for their consideration.
Reiterating his commitment to student cause, Akshay revealed NSUI Punjab is also planning to come up with community learning centres in rural belts to cater to unrestricted education flow for those who cannot afford private schools. We have finalised a list of volunteers who would be doubling up as part time teachers with full focus on adherence to all health and social distancing norms at these centres which would be taken on rent. The lesson for us here is that we have to proactively come up with alternative modes of education transmission especially for our poor students in the post corona world if we are to ensure education equity. Majority of our students are not able to remain admitted in schools due to poverty and we need to be extra sensitive to them given the massive negative impact of pandemic on their economic and financial position, said Akshay.
Iam grateful to PPCC Chief Sunil Jakhar, Higher Education Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Medical Education Minister O P Soni and Political Secretary to CM Capt Sandeep Sandhu for considering the issue on top priority AKSHAY SHARMA PRESIDENT, NSUI PUNJAB