TURA: Terming Centre’s move to hold examinations amid the COVID-19 pandemic a ‘mindless approach’, the Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress (MPYC) president, Richard Marak, on Friday, urged both the state and the central governmenrs to consider the pleas of the students.
Stating that students are the future of the nation, Marak urged both the state and the central governments to take into consideration the implications of holding any examination amid the COVID-19-induced scenario.
“The safety and security of the students must be ensured. Lakhs of students, along with their parents all across the country, are agitating and demanding that the examinations are postponed,” Marak said.
Marak said that no sensible government would consider holding examinations by risking students’ lives, especially at a juncture when the country has been reporting thousands of COVID-19 cases on a day-to-day basis.
“How can the students, especially those from the rural areas, travel to the examination centres? Where will they stay,” Marak questioned.
Stating that the decision to hold examinations during the ongoing pandemic has put the students under a state of extreme mental stress, Marak exhorted one and all to stand united in their objection.
“The message is clear. Postpone exams, save lives. The safety of the students cannot be compromised,” Marak said.
The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the UGC directives to Universities and Colleges to hold final year exams by September 30, was well within its domain and said that performance in such examination are “reflection of competence of the students”.
The top court held that the State and University cannot promote the students in the final year/terminal semester without holding final year/terminal examination.
It also said that any state/union territory in exercise of jurisdiction under DM Act, has taken a decision that it is not possible to conduct the final year/ terminal semester examination by September 30, then “we grant liberty to such State/Union Territory to make an application to the UGC for extending deadline of September 30, for that State/ Union Territory which shall be considered by UGC and rescheduled date be communicated to such State/Union Territory at the earliest”. (With inputs from PTI)