The loss of an academic year will have multiple ramifications, not just on individual students, their families and their careers but also the burden on educational institutions across the country. As per the National Testing Agency, about 4-5 million students take the entrance exams each year. Over 8.5 lakh students are expected to appear for the JEE Main and close to 16 lakh for the NEET (UG). These two exams itself make up for about 2.4 million students.
Besides this, about 2.5 million students will appear for the ICAR entrance exams. The academic sessions of all medical colleges, IITs, IIITs, NITs, CFTIs and ICAR–AUs is dependent on these exams. Other high-stakes exams include entrances for DU and JNU, among others.
Imagine if these exams are postponed until next year. We will be looking at at least 10 million students writing entrance exams next year. Imagine the burden on our educational system and the number of disgruntled, disillusioned youth who will again blame it on the government and the system. Also, the thousands of academic institutions which will be bereft of students, bereft of any revenue and the lakhs of teachers and professors who will be rendered jobless as institutions will just not be in a position to pay them. We are staring at lakhs and lakhs of affected families.
This is a vicious cycle. Covid-19 is here to stay. Although there are five vaccines in India in various stages of development, we do not know when they will be out and how long before every citizen is inoculated. It could realistically take more than a year from today. So do we shut everything, stop everything till then?
In March, we did not know the nature of this virus. In August, India has more than 75% recovery. The mortality rate from 0 to 25 years is less than 1%. 80% of the infected cases have been asymptomatic. Indians have shown stronger immunity and ability to fight this virus. Most cases have been because of individual lax in following health and safety SOPs. If we follow the SOPs, there is no reason for us to worry.
The NTA has increased the number of exam centres — 99% of the aspirants for JEE have got a centre which is their first preference. For both JEE And NEET, an overwhelming majority have already downloaded their admit cards. There will be areas which will have natural calamities, but that happens every year. Right now, we have lost one quarter of the academic year. Any further postponement will mean that the whole academic year is lost. No one is forcing anyone to take the exams. Those who do not want to can opt out. But those who want to take the exams, those who want to learn to live with the virus and get a move on, those who are worried about their careers, they should not be denied a chance.
More than 12.5 lakh students over the last 100 days have been actively using the National Test Abhyas app. Should their hard work go a begging? There are going to be only 12 aspirants and one invigilator per classroom. All health SOPs and social distancing protocols will be followed by teachers and administrators. Students and parents can’t say that social distancing will not be followed. They have to follow it. Don’t blame the organisers or administrators — we are responsible for our actions and for following health SOPs.
So many states have conducted their secondary and higher secondary exams. Many states also conducted their state CETs, so why should there be such a hullabaloo about these critical examinations now? States should be working overtime to facilitate access and to give parents and students confidence. Ironically, those states that were vehemently pressing for opening up or accelerating the process of Unlock today are advocating postponement. Those who do not want to write exams have the choice to skip and apply next year. No one is putting a gun to their head and forcing them to write. So “mask pehen, social distance rakh, aur bahar nikal Bharat”.
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