A day after chancellor Bhagat Singh Koshyari wrote a strongly worded letter to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray deprecating his proposal to cancel the final year university examinations in view of Covid-19 pandemic, students and academicians flayed both sides for playing “petty politics”.
Asserting that they are “suffering” due to differences between ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and opposition BJP, they called on both sides to immediately find out a middle way to end the imbroglio.
Principal secretary of state higher and technical education department Saurabh Vijay told that since the CM had already made an announcement in this regard, the decision is more or less has been made. “We will clarify more on the issue in coming days.”
Students like Ruchita Sakhare, from the Government College of Engineering (GCOE) in Aurangabad, said she was surprised to see dirty politics being played by both sides. “Even though the CM had taken a good decision to cancel the exams, the chancellor is opposing it. They should sit together and reach a consensus rather than playing politics and putting future of over nine lakh students in a quandary,” she said.
Agreeing with her, Parikshit Pawde, a student of Ramdeobaba College of Engineering, said, if universities Harvard and Stanford in the United States can do away with exams, why can’t similar steps taken in India.
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“The Shiv Sena-led state government and the governor, who’s got support of BJP, should stop playing politics on this sensitive issue. Latter should realize that exam can’t be imagined at this stage when the Covid-19 cases are spiralling in India. Both should also think of students like us, who have already got jobs and are interning currently. If I don’t get the degree, I will remain intern till that time and may lose the job,” said Parikshit.
Senior academicians like former Nagpur University vice-chancellor SP Kane said that though exams are must as per the rules, such a situation comes once in a century. “Some compromises need to be made to tackle such global pandemic and government was right in cancelling the exam. Those who want to improve the grades can appear in the exam in October-November. The decision makers shouldn’t spoil future of students by for their vested interests. Leave it on the students to make the choice. If an engineering students studied for seven semesters, how can just one semester would make any difference?” he said.
A section of students want the exams to be conducted. “Exams must be conducted even if students are made to wait. If all are promoted, it would raise a big question mark on their quality. Cancelling exams is certainly not an option and government should come clear on it soon,” Neha Sood, an MA student from Hislop College said.
Others like engineering student Janhavi Shami feel that all offline exams should be cancelled and online mode be introduced. “My hostel is in Aurangabad and I live in Nagpur. At this moment, it’s not possible to move there to appear in exams. So online is the best option. The government and chancellor should think of students rather than playing blame game. The students and parents are very worried over exams,” she said.
Courtesy: TOI
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