New Delhi: A protest was staged by the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) at the Ministry of Education and demanded the cancellation of Class XII board exams in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, on Friday.
In a statement, the student wing of the Indian National Congress said that the protesters wore PPE kits and followed COVID protocols while raising the slogan “pehle suraksha, phir pariksha” (first safety, then exams)”.
“A few days ago I wrote a letter to the ministry reminding them that they have not yet come up with any guideline or policy to ensure the safety of those below the age of 18 and a majority of the students are below this age,” NSUI national president Neeraj Kundan was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
“The lack of planning for the board exams will harm the academic year of these students. The only solution for saving their academic year is now to promote them by internal assessments rather than wasting more time on discussing examinations,” Kundan said.
According to the NSUI, the government should find an alternative to the examinations as India is fighting the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The government can grade the students on the basis of their past performances, assignments or classroom assessments, but risking the lives of these students is an insensitive decision,” the NSUI statement said.
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