The fact that COVID-19 has halted many industries and left the future of millions of citizens in a blur is not unknown. It is also applicable for the hundreds of thousands of students who are now left stranded, having no clarity of their academic future.
In March, schools, colleges, and educational institutions were shut down temporarily in the wake of COVID-19 until the situation showed any signs of improvement.
It is now going to be four months, yet the scenario seems anything but normalized. No one is sure about how much longer is this going to last.
Understanding The Entire Fiasco
The government and the students have been in a state of turmoil against each other on the matter of exams for more than two months now. While the former has been implicating the need for conducting examinations, the students are opposing this proposal, calling it brutal and inhumane.
Almost every university has canceled the exams for students who are in their intermediate semesters, promoting them based on internal assessment records and previous semester results.
But the same cannot be said for the students in their final semester, and the ones who were scheduled to give their competitive exams this year (which usually take place between April to July).
Despite continuous requests and online protests by students, the college administrations, central government, and many state governments (except a few such as Maharashtra Government) are reluctant to cancel the final year and competitive exams.
Read More: #DUagainstOnlineExams Trends As The Dean Announces Online Exams Which Might Not Be Technologically Feasible For All Students
How MHRD’s Webinar On Physical And Mental Health Received Backlash
The indecisiveness of the government and particularly the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has left students in a state of confusion and panic. The final year students have to apply to other universities for higher studies and prospects.
However, this situation is leading them nowhere and only adding on to their woes. The JEE and NEET aspirants are facing a similar uncertainty. Anguished, the students took to Twitter to put forward their concerns and protest against the government body.
But all went unseen and unheard by the concerned authorities, which seem quite adamant in their decision to conduct the exams.
Amidst this, MHRD announced a webinar called “Fit Hai toh Hit Hai India”, which is scheduled to take place on 3rd July at 5 PM. It would address students’ questions regarding fitness under #FitIndiaTalks.
While this seminar aims mostly at physical fitness, one cannot deny the fact that physical well-being is closely related to mental health. A fit body demands a sound mind, which seems a mirage for the students in the prevailing conditions.
Hence, a seminar on fitness amidst a scenario where the peace of mind of students has been affected by the authorities seems hypocritical.
The moment this announcement hit Twitter, students started rebelling against the concerned officials and MHRD.
Students of the University of Delhi, Gujarat Technical University, the National Institute of Open Schooling, and JEE and NEET aspirants responded most actively amongst other students.
While the webinar on fitness seems like a good idea, the government should recognize the concerns of students regarding the examinations.
This feud between the two is not beneficial for either of them and needs to be addressed by the government for the greater good of students.
Image Sources: Covid19India, Twitter
Sources: Twitter
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This Post is Tagged under: twitter, mhrd, ministry of human resources development, the backlash against govt, jee, neet, postponejeeandneet, Gujarat technical university, nios, Delhi university, ts eamcet, ramesh pokhriyal, #fitindiatalks, fit hai toh hit hai India, mental health, online exams, final year exams, pandemic, exams should be canceled, students life at risk, why exams amidst pandemic, mental health is important
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