I am in deep anguish as I write this. The constant exuberance due to whatever is going around us and the skyrocketing COVID-19 cases have been making me really anxious, a problem that has been made no better by the rumors we are being fed from all sides.
For the past two months, I have been in a dilemma as to what to do about my college studies and exams. By this point, I am sure you must have guessed that I am a University of Delhi’s third-year student – the doomed batch as we will be referred to as by our future generations.
DU’s Exams Postponed Yet Again!
The first official notification was released on the 14th of May regarding the conduction of exams by DU.
It clearly stated that the final year students would have to appear for their end semester examinations in the online open book exam format as a one-time precautionary measure in the wake of COVID -19.
This notification was exclusive for the thousands of students, who were without study resources, without a proper internet connection and some hailing from really remote areas such as Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand.
It was as if DU had assumed that digitalization, a concept which has gained popularity a couple of years back in India, has already spanned the entire country.
Students protested against this, moved to the High Court, started petitions, and did all they could with the limited resources to make their voices heard by the authorities. But, all this went in vain when DU did not cancel the exams.
Just as we were gearing up to study and sit for the exams which were scheduled to take place on July 1st, a notice that the exams have been postponed by 10 days, and would take place from 10th of July again created disarray and made students anxious.
The reason authorities gave for this delay was that they wanted the situation to improve a bit before we could appear for exams. This received backlash by students, as the university somehow assumed that the situation would miraculously get better within 12 days.
But we came to terms with that and just 2 days shy of the D-Day when the preparation was going on its peak, we have been hit by yet another news that exams now might take place in August.
What Now?
The official notification by DU is still awaited. This information has been given to the Single Bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh. All the matters related to the DU examinations have now been transferred to the Division Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad.
The petition filed by students of university has put forward certain concerns regarding OBE (open book examinations), which majorly include
- Inadequate infrastructure to conduct online exams,
- Compromised mental state of students amidst a global pandemic,
- PSU jobs have a deadline of July 31 which many students would miss if exams are conducted as the degree would not be awarded on time.
- Hindrance in applying for post-graduate programs, in India and abroad
DU has not yet stated a definite date for exams. We just know that it would happen in the middle of August sometime.
Read more: Students Find MHRD Hypocritical For Conducting Seminar On Fitness & Health While Conducting Exams
Why Is It Problematic?
Final year students have future prospects to attend, which includes admission to universities for post-graduation, placement offers, preparation for competitive exams, and a lot more.
This entire fiasco has already delayed our schedule and our timetable, but as long as it was getting done by the end of July, we were still making peace with it. But now knowing that this would all be stretched until the end of August has left us crippled.
CBSE has canceled the exams for school students keeping their health in mind. But, the central government has left no stone unturned in messing with our heads. And then, they say that they care about our mental health. Hypocritical enough?
The inadequate infrastructure has already been highlighted through mock examinations (which were literally a mockery on us). Students were unable to download their question paper, login into the portal, or even receive their credentials. Conducting exams in such conditions is unjust and plain ignorant to our needs.
At this point, the students are demanding the cancelation of exams not because they don’t want to study, but because it doesn’t allow them to focus on other, perhaps more important things. The fact that studious students are also of the same opinion testifies it.
We are hopeful that the High Court might be able to put an end to this mockery when it announces its verdict on this matter tomorrow. After all, hope is all it is left now, isn’t it?
Sources: DU’s Official Website, Live Law, NDTV
Image Sources: DU’s official website, Twitter, Google Images
Find the Blogger: @TinaGarg18
This post is tagged under: mental health of students, stress among students, open book examinations, cancel final year exams, we are humans too, du against final year exams, ramesh pokhriyal, hypocrisy, cbse
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