As has been previously discussed in this column, education and its continuation is one of the most important and contentious issues that a nation must confront in the current times. All over the world, opposing viewpoints have been forwarded that have attempted to measure the cost of reopening education and risking major infection hotspots versus keeping educational institutions shut and risking very tangible losses for the lockdown generation. Everyone agrees that education is necessary for getting society back on track but there is a need for more data to truly make an accurate risk assessment. As such, someone needs to be willing to take the risk and be the first. Till now, India has been one of the nations that has been on the fence regarding this issue, making tentative deadlines and efforts to make preparations to resume education. This week, India decided to dive in with both feet as physical examinations were held for the NEET/JEE. With at least two million students sitting down for Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) for engineering colleges and the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) exams for medical colleges at a time when the country is posting record daily infections, the risks are clear and ever-present. The decision to hold the exams follows months of debates and dissenting views by both the opposition parties and many of the affected students themselves for postponing the exams due to the pandemic and the extensive floods. Nevertheless, the Government pushed through all opposition with the consensus that regardless of the dismal situation, life must carry on.
Arrangements were naturally made to ensure safety to whatever degree is possible in such large scale undertakings. Masks were made compulsory, social distancing enforced and indeed, many centres even had temperature checks. The Ministry of Education has furthermore assured that 99.7 per cent of the candidates who are sitting down for the exam have gotten their preferred choice of exam centre, making sure that very few would have to travel to far-off cities for exams. Of course, there are many reports of students in flood-hit areas having a difficult time of getting to even close-by centres. While these measures have convinced many of the prudence of such action, others remain unconvinced. Online protests carry on and will likely continue as other exams are held in due time.
It is easy to see this issue in binary, as good or bad, depending on what side of the debate you stand on. But as is the case with virtually everything right now, there are no clear answers. What world governments have is the luxury of an informed guess, supported by the hope that it is enough. Online exams are no stable alternative. The DU debacle has been instructive in this regard. As the SC put it, life indeed must go on but it would be foolish to consider the whole enterprise as risk-free or minimal risk. It would also be wrong to convince those who wish for a delay with doom and gloom visions of a year in India without any engineers or doctors. It is vital for society to get back on its feet but not at absolutely any cost. The present scenario is extraordinary in many regards and typical common sense or understanding cannot be relied upon entirely. It is important to make sure that such measures are taken in the interest of the people and not simply for the sake of institutions or the continuation of things as they were. There is risk, yes. There is a need to confront this risk as well but not by falsely reassuring those who take this risk.