Reassessing what’s okay, what’s not: Devaiah

Anumber of universities have exempted students from final year exams, owing to the Covid-19 crisis. But no such respite awaits students of Delhi University, which has started with the second phase of open book online mock exams. Students who wrote these examinations faced many challenges.

“Mock tests are a mockery,” asserts Dishant Grewal, a final year Political Science student at Kirori Mal College, adding, “Political science students were given a question paper for Geography, but they covered it up saying this was just for sample. A site on which you can’t upload documents that weigh in KBS, and that crashes on results day, how do you expect to upload megabytes of answer sheets?”

Internet connectivity and power cuts are matters of grave concern for those back in their hometowns. Benna Fathima, a final year Sociology student at Hindu College, who went back to Kerala in March, says, “The university has made provisions for students to go to a centre if they can’t write from home. But, I live in a containment zone. Where do I go?”

Technical glitches aside, the anxiety of preparing and finishing the exams in time has taken a toll, mentally. “Many of my friends don’t have a laptop and had to upload from their mobile phones. At first, it showed uploaded, but within 10 minutes, it showed error… It was very haphazard. I spent my days in anxiety, it has taken a toll on many of us,” reveals Priyanshi Singh, a final year History student at Miranda House, who gave the mock test from Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.

Students have filed petitions seeking exams to be cancelled, but to no avail. “I appeal we are graded on past performance or given assignments. In any case, these are open book exams, so what difference does it make if we submit assignments?” questions Mayank Madaan, a final year B.com student at Satyawati College.

As someone who pointed out that Bollywood is a tough place to be in, while mourning the passing of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, Gulshan Devaiah, even after 50 days of the unfortunate incident, is still trying to get over it. “As an actor, who has been in this industry for nearly 10 years and is trying to get good work to further one’s career, it’s very shocking. It’s shocking when somebody allegedly did something like that. I’m trying to look after myself. I’ll probably want to be in a better position if I ever get to a dark place,” he tells us. Talking about the various conspiracy theories that are floating around Rajput’s death and the twists and turns in the investigation, Devaiah, 42, says he has stopped reading too much into them. “It’s not that it doesn’t deserve my attention, but sometimes it becomes important to filter yourself from such things as they become very troubling and worrisome,” he reasons.

The actor further says he can’t comment on the matter as he doesn’t know much. “Somebody like Sushant dying the way that he did was really shocking. He died by suicide, right? That’s the narrative everybody seems to be going with right now, unless further investigations prove otherwise,” he adds.

Devaiah feels that after a point it’s all about how one feels about themselves. “I’m reassessing my situation and evaluating what’s okay and what’s not. I don’t want to make a decision like, ‘Oh, there’s no point in me living and I should just end it all’,” he concludes.

PHOTO: WASEEM GASHROO/HT Gulshan Devaiah is focusing more on his mental well-being after Sushant Singh Rajput’s demise