We, the UG and PG students of NIT JALANDHAR an INSTITUTE of #NATIONAL IMPORTANCE, have some serious problems and confusions regarding the current semester. We would like to bring your attention on the fact that, in this Pandemic Scenario, is it really possible for all the students from all kinds of financial backgrounds to sit for any exams, either written or online?

We, the youth, the students are the future of this Nation, but now the youth, the future is in great danger. So we are seeking your help, there are a lot of reasons to oppose exam in this pandemic situation, and we are trying to bring your attention to these facts for opposing exam in this situation , Cancellation of End-Sem Exams due to following reasons:

 

ONLINE EXAM RELATED POINTS:-

 

1.Expecting that every student of the Institute has excess to luxuries like smart phone/laptop is not appropriate. You probably must have gone through recent news and might heard about students committing suicide just because they were not able to access the online lectures provided by their schools. So these activities happening around us are enough to show that it is not possible even now for every  being have excess to smart phones/laptops and good network connectivity.

 

2.Preparing for the exams is not possible for those students who are living in the containment zone and don't have stationary items like notebooks, pens etc.

 

3.The shops are not allowed to open in the containment zone. So how will a student, residing in that area, get his/her necessary things which are required for preparation.

 

4.Expecting that the network coverage at every corner of this country is similar to what it is in NIT Jalandhar is certainly not appropriate.

 

5.Since nearly every student left Institute during the mid term breaks and since that was a festive period ,we can't expect even a single student to carry all his previous notes, laptop etc. which he usually requires only before examination.

 

6. The notes till March are at hostel and most of the students are at home due to the Mid term break, during Mid term break most of the students have not carried the study material(including laptops) to their homes, how they will access the study material.

 

7. Semester Exams are very important and most of the students do not possess enough study materials due to this unexpected prolonged lockdown since March. Without proper guidance and study materials we cannot prepare for the exams.

 

8. Since, according to the Institute Senate the exam will be open book, and how the Institute can expect from each student that they have the access to the books, study material provided by college, NIT-J e-library, & their personal notes, when the students are not able to connect to the WEB due to LOW/NO connectivity.

9. Some of the students residing in rural areas & they don’t even have the access to the electricity because the region in which they’re residing is highly undeveloped.

 

10. Being an Institute of Nation’s Importance the students in our college are from each corner of India. And Institute cannot expect that each area from the students belong is developed, it is certainly not acceptable.

 

11. The students who are residing in states like- Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu etc. are highly affected

by Covid-19 pandemic, & going through a lot of stress. Institute must think about the mental health also, as mindset and mental health is very important for any kind of examination.

 

12. How can Institute think of, that any of the family members of any student is not affected by covid19? And if any of the family member is affected by covid19,how the student is managing the stress &, is college not bothered about the situations and mental heath of their own students?

 

13. The Institute must consider each aspect related to students residing in Rural/Urban Area as well as Physical/Mental health too, before taking any decision.

 

14. Because of the prolonged Lockdown, most of the student’s families businesses shut down. And not everyone is in a job/service. Some of the student’s parents are giving their 100% just to fulfill their daily needs but they’re not able to provide each and every need successfully.

 

15. Some of the students are in a very poor financial condition, but they’re providing education to their wards any how by sacrificing the daily needs.

 

    

 

OFFLINE EXAM RELATED POINTS:-

 

1. It's not feasible for students of the "red-zone" to move in and out of the city so easily. It's difficult to reach for even the basic commodity. Going out and traveling in various transport medium in this condition is dangerous beyond measures.

 

2. College must show some concern towards the health security of their students and faculty and other staff(including mess and hostel workers).

 

3. The members of our prestigious institute NIT-J also belong from some regions which are adversely affected by "Covid-19" and some by natural disasters like "Amphan cyclone".

 

4. Some people of our own college lost their houses in this natural disaster-"Amphan Cyclone".

 

5. Some people (student's families mainly) of our own institute are going through a financial crisis.

 

6. Not everyone is in a condition to come college back in this "Pandemic"-at least now for 1 or 2 months.

 

7. The students who are going through all these problems are not able to study too(everyone is stressed in this critical time), how they can come and exam on short notice.

 

8. Different colleges of national importance have already taken the safer initiative to cancel the end sem exams.

 

9. Method to calculate CGPA can be on the basis of minor exams. Equally, those who don't feel satisfied with such a mark distribution may be given a chance to reappear for improvement exams once the college reopens under normal circumstances.

 

Some other questions to keep in mind-

 

-- On short notice, how will students get train tickets?

 

--Will other state students have to face quarantine of 14 days?

 

--How would college differentiate between who is corona positive and who is not,when symptoms are observed in 14 days?

 

--There is no announcement whether the teachers and students would have to go through Thermal Tests to ensure that they are safe from Corona during exams.

 

--Is it really possible to control the spreading of this virus by just giving a gap of just one bench inside exam hall?

 

--The usage of papers and pen still remains an issue of contamination.

 

--It will be a huge problem for us to give online exams from home because after Amphan and another fatal storm, the network coverage has taken a worth mentioning downfall. And those who are residing at different states are also facing the problem of network range because of network trafficking and some other reasons.

 

--Due to prolonged lockdown, the students are going through a lot of mental stress and it will also effect in their results.

 

--Semester Exams are very important and most of the students do not possess enough study materials due to this unexpected prolonged lockdown since March. Without proper guidance and study materials we cannot prepare for the exams.

 

--A huge problem may arise if nearby school colleges are assigned as online exam centres because the police is currently using local school colleges as quarantine centres. So, this may cause a safety hazard.

 

--Above all, the students are not willing to put their lives on risk and sit for the exams. Because, the degree of ours should be utilized properly only then, when we are alive.

 

 

 

To stop spreading of Corona Virus in this Pandemic situation as well as to grab all opportunities by all the students by all the students, few institutions and universities have taken some remarkable decisions to overcome unwanted situations, some of the examples are stated below:

 

1. University of Hyderabad have decided to issue certificates with two flexible options i.e. having average number given by the authority or give Exams after a certain period of time as per students choice.

2. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur on 24th May has decided to end the ongoing semesters and promote all the students based on a special marking scheme including mid-term marks.

3. IIT Bombay has decided to end its spring semesters as well as scrap the final exams for 2019-20 academic year. The spring semesters was scheduled to begin on June 1 and go on till July 13.

4. Instead of taking exams, assignments can be taken of every papers, which students should complete within time and submit to their colleges. This system of exam is used by B.Ed. Colleges and Open Universities.

5. Term Paper, a lot of topics can be given regarding the papers, from which the students should pick their preferable topics or professors should assign the topics to the students, and the students should submit their answers in written manner. In this term paper basis, marks should be provided.

6. If it is not possible to take exams in any means, the credits for exams can be provided by normalization process, this process is applicable in National Exams like Rail etc.

 

7. NIT Raipur has also announced a very innovative way of testing the understanding of a student in any subject by letting the individual student to set their own paper and submit it to their professors by means of   e-mail.

 

  The 4th 5th and 7th point doesn't require any social engagements and we can be tested by authority without violating any kind of social distancing.   And the student will not have to travel unnecessarily.

 

Considering the gravity and importance of the situation, we feel, you will be kind enough to review our views in such a manner that will help us to proceed in the future with great physical and mental strength.

 

 

With Best Regards,

UG and PG Students of NIT-J