Some states start vaccinations for students heading abroad
MUMBAI/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At least five states have started vaccinating on priority students above the age of 18 who have been accepted by foreign universities and those seeking employment abroad, providing them immunisation certificates to facilitate their entry to other countries, according to officials.
Restrictions prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic, lockdown on travel and fear of infections dampened the hopes of aspirants who wished to study in foreign universities last year. While many chose to pursue their courses online, others put off their plans, hoping to attend classes on campus in 2021.
On Monday, Andhra Pradesh became the latest state to announce priority vaccination of students. “Covid-19 vaccine to be administered to students wanting to go abroad to pursue education, and to those who want to go abroad for jobs. Vaccination certificate to be issued to the aforementioned,” read a statement issued by chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s office.
The other states that have launched similar drives are Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka and Telangana.
The Pune Municipal Corporation and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation began vaccinating such students days after state tourism minister Aditya Thackeray announced the drive. “My friends managed to get a slot on the first two days itself, and even though the system can act as a hindrance whenever we try to confirm slots, I finally managed to get my shot on Tuesday,” said 25-year old Akriti Pandya, who has a slot for pursuing MBA at an Australian university. The Maharashtra government’s directive to give the second dose of vaccine within 6 weeks will help Pune-based Siddhant Yelwande, a 22-year-old admitted to the University of Minnesota, US. “My second dose was assigned for August 24 even though I was supposed to reach the university on August 23,” he said.
Delhi University will adjust its admission process to the extraordinary situation without compromising on merit, acting vice-chancellor P C Joshi said after the Class 12 board examinations were cancelled on Tuesday and added that the Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CUCET) can be a good method.
After the CBSE and the CISCE announced cancelling Class 12 board examinations in view of the coronavirus pandemic, Joshi said discussions will be held with the admission committee and the academic council of the university to finalise the process of admission to undergraduate courses. Nearly 98 per cent of the applicants to Delhi University are CBSE students.
“There will be some way to judge merit. These are extraordinary circumstances. The Central Universities Common Entrance Test can be a good method as it will be based on pan-India merit. DU will not compromise on the merit. We will adjust to the new situation and see what method is to be developed. We will wait and see what are the criterion that the boards come out for evaluation of students,” he said.
Joshi is a member of the CUCET committee, which had submitted its report to the Education Ministry. A decision on conducting a common entrance test for all central universities is pending.
Professor Rajeev Gupta, Chairperson-Admissions of DU, said, “The University of Delhi fully supports the decision taken by the Government of India to cancel the forthcoming CBSE board examinations in view of Covid-19 pandemic in the country. The University of Delhi also feels that the health and safety of our students is of utmost importance. The University of Delhi looks forward to the decision of the CBSE regarding the declaration of the results.”
Professor Sanjeev Singh, joint director of Delhi University’s Computer Centre (DUCC), said the university is likely to admit students on the basis of CUCET, once the education ministry issues guidelines.”We are all set. As soon as we received the guidelines, we will be ready,” he said.
In normal circumstances, DU conducts entrance tests for admissions to nine undergraduate courses. The tests are conducted by the National testing Agency (NTA).
The government on Tuesday decided to cancel the CBSE Class 12 board exams amid the Covid-19 pandemic across the country with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserting that the decision has been taken in the interest of students and the anxiety among the students, parents and teachers must be put to an end.