'Weighing options to hold final-yr exams before Puja'
Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said the state government was weighing the pros and cons of holding final-year college and university exams before Durga Puja in October. She also slammed the Centre over its decision to conduct JEE and NEET exams in September and stated the Union government's "adamant approach" will add to the COVID-19 woes, further adding that there won't be any exam in the state in September.
"I have told our Education minister to look into the possibility of conducting the final-year exams in universities and colleges before Durga Puja in October. The options of both online and offline exams should be considered. We are not against any exam; we are just saying that a pandemic is on, and it could put lives of students at risk," she said while addressing a virtual rally of Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP). A final decision will be announced within the next couple of days.
Coming down heavily on the University Grants Commission (UGC) for issuing contradictory orders regarding the holding of examinations, she said: "The UGC had issued an order on April 29 stating that no examination would be held in colleges and universities in view of the pandemic. Then again on July 11, it issued a fresh order saying that the final-year examinations will be held in the universities and colleges without which certificates would not be issued to the students. Following the first order, many universities had already issued certificates to the students on the basis of marks scored in the earlier exams. Now, what will happen to these students."
Banerjee also added: "Because of the UGC's arbitrary and mindless decision, many students are suffering from metal agony which is affecting their health also."
Criticising the Centre for its adamant attitude to hold NEET and JEE during the pandemic, she said: "How can one hold the examinations when the trains are not running and transport system is yet to be regularised. Will the Centre take responsibility of those students who fail to reach the examination hall in view of the present situation," she questioned.
She said the Chief Ministers of six states on Wednesday had requested the Centre to defer NEET and JEE as it would make the students vulnerable to the COVID-19 infection. "But the Centre did not listen as it only understands ballot box politics. It is busy issuing sermons instead of listening to Mann ki Baat of students."
She added: "In the United States, the number of students being infected with COVID-19 went up after schools were reopened." She urged the students to free the country from BJP's political pandemic that has stifled the voice of the Opposition, media and the common man. She added that the Assembly election of 2021 will free the country from this environment that has choked the country. She announced that August 11 will be celebrated as Students' Day every year.
Banerjee urged students to reply to the lies that are being circulated by BJP on social media. "Upload 10 genuine reports to counter five lies spread by the BJP," she said adding "this will intensify as the 2021 Assembly elections draw near." She added that the students are the future leaders and will have to take positive roles in society. She proposed to give internship to students in the Chief Minister's Office so that they can reach out to the masses and make them aware of the schemes taken by the state government for their benefit.
