AISA demands cancellation of exams and suspension of classes

In a recent post, AISA has called upon students to ‘rise for each other as the student community’.  A petition has been released by AISA to raise their voice against academic pressure during the pandemic. The petition has put forth three demands. Firstly, cancellation of all examinations. Second, suspension of all online classes. And third, revamping the academic calendar.

Exams more important than students?

The whole nation has been struck by the Covid crisis. To ask students to appear for their exams when they are living and experiencing catastrophes daily shows the insensitivity of the university towards its students. 

An official notice dated 7th May announced the extension of the date to fill up the examination form. The last date to fill the form is 12th May till 5 p.m. as of now. After being postponed for two weeks, the examinations for this term are set to begin from 1st June.

In this regard, the petition rightfully pointed out that it is inhuman and not just inconsiderate to conduct exams in such a scenario. Universities and governments have surely chosen to turn their backs and focus on their priorities. Priorities range from display of apathy to helpdesks for cows and F.I.Rs on those asking for oxygen cylinders and other resources. 

Suspension of classes and other demands

The suspension of all classes and revamping of the academic calendar has been raised as well in the petition released by AISA. The classes for all Colleges and Departments have been suspended until the 16th of May. Students from various colleges united previously for this suspension and raised the same demands under the banner of the DU’23 Movement. 

No plan of action about compensation for the suspended classes has been announced until now. Increased academic pressure afterwards will do no good to students and the aim for which suspension of classes was being asked will obviously stand unfulfilled. 

The second wave of COVID has submerged the country with grief. Almost 34 deaths have been reported from the AMU campus in the last 18 days. Shahid Ali Siddiqui, the Principal of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College said that almost 25 doctors at the hospital have tested positive, as reported by The Tribune. Professor Shadaab Khan, head of the Medicine Department at the college, succumbed to the infection.

With such an unempathetic stance, the institution which talks of dedication in its motto is surely missing some itself.