Postpone the final semester EXAMINATION during this pandemic situation

Respected
Vice Chancellor,
West Bengal State University,
Berunanpukuria, Malikapur,
Barasat, 24(N) Parganas, Kolkata-700126
       
     Deputation to VC from STUDENTS of West Bengal State University.
We hope that this letter finds you and other professors along with the non-teaching staff in the pink of your health, during the hour of pandemic. In the present circumstances, we, the students of West Bengal State University are approaching you in order to express our concerns regarding the present situation related to the covid19 pandemic and the Amphan cyclone.

Our issues are mentioned below:

● In the present times, the number of Covid19 affected patients have been crossed one lakh in our country. There is a rapid increment in the cases in every passing day. The academic calendar which has been released on the website of the university in recent times, have created a sense of fear and ambiguity among the students.

● Firstly, the public transport being selectively available, it will not be possible for the students of West Bengal State University to reach the university by 11th June,2020. Secondly, we don't know when the public transport will open and there will be a shortage of tickets which will not allow many of us to reach the university in time. It must be kept in mind that even after the public transport begins its service, our guardians will feel it unsafe to send us to the university because there will be a massive chance of infection of Covid19, so it it not possible for the so many outsider students to attend the classes on that date published on the academic calendar.

●The extent of lockdown is different in the varied areas of the nation. Some places are declared to be the red zones, whereas others are named as the orange zones. Very few green zones exist which are landlocked, in the current situation. The public transport system is haphazard, which will cause difficulty in travel for the students who live far away and yet, are the integral part of the university.

 ● The financial condition of many families are deteriorating in this pandemic. Most of students are suffering from the adverse familial conditions which have created a mental trauma in them. So,they are now not able to study or make their preparations for the exams in published date. So,it is our request to keep in mind the mental stress of these students before taking any kind of step.

● The concept of social distancing will be difficult to maintain within the premises of the university. The hostel dwellers are expected to face severe risk of infection in the present situation if the academic calendar is maintained.If they are examined before by doctors and then keep in hostel ,then also there is always a chance of infection.Moving of boarders outside the hostel may cause virus infection and when they do classes with the day -scholar students ,the infection chance will be also there. Finally we are unsafe . Students are the future of our nation ,they shouldn't be keep in danger in this time of pandemic .

● In this current lockdown situation the students are in mental stress which can prevent them to handle any kind of major exams right now.There are so many Students who forgot to take important books ,class notes to their home .They thought the lockdown will not exten after 31st march .By the way , The helpline number which has been presented by the Proctor office, concerned about our mental health seemed very much useful to us.However, we are extremely pained to say that we are not in the condition to write semester examinations at the present.

● The UGC has provided for a number of guidelines which are to be adopted during the period of lockdown in order to help the students. The classes had mostly focused on completion of the syllabus which were left in class. The teaching methods were used which were not very helpful for the students in the present situation. We do not blame this on our teachers. There are different parts of the country which do not have regular network services. Many of our classmates from those areas have not been able to attend these classes regularly or attending the class in sitting on play ground far from ther home . It will be unfair to conduct the online exams because the lesser privileged or poor students have not get the benefits of the online classes. Cyber hacking has also going on during the lockdown period, recently the government announced not to use few online apps also . So,online examination methods(assignments,Online MCQ,Projects)are not the beneficial solution for the students.

● The recent cyclone ‘Amphan’ has destroyed several areas of West Bengal. Many of the students have lost their homes and belongings due to this calamity. The present situation of several students who are residing in the areas which are affected the most by the cyclone is quite alarming. It has been difficult for many of our classmates to gather the necessities which are mandatory for a proper living. It is quite insensitive to disregard their conditions and plan for examinations now.

● There have been complexities which have arisen for the students who are residing in the rented rooms in Barasat(near the university). The owners of the rooms have already expressed their discontent on the topic of the students returning and occupying the rooms in time of prevailing infection. If the given calendar is followed, the students residing in mess or rented rooms will be facing boarding issues. The university is requested to look into this matter.

So, we're humbly requesting you to postpone the EXAMINATION during this crisis.

If the examinations are to be conducted, it is requested that the university does not commence them after the classes begin. Required classes must be taken in order to allow those who have not been able to take the online classes during lockdown. The classes are requested to be resumed only after it is possible for every student to come back to the university.

The above mentioned points are thus summarised by us, the students of West Bengal State University, in the light of the present situation. We will be grateful if the university looks into our issues with care and precise judgement.

Thanking you,

Yours respectfully,
Students of West Bengal State University.

ALL THE STUDENTS OF WEST BENGAL STATE UNIVERSITY    Contact the author of the petition