· Says, state government will soon file a collective review petition in the Supreme Court
· Suggests to hold exam online or postpone as there is fear of COVID peak in September
· Stress, difficult situations and traffic restrictions will further rub the salt on wounds
· Union Government should learn lesson from public and students’ anger
Chandigarh, August 27:
Taking the Union government iron handedly, which is adamant to conduct NEET and JEE exams in the month of September, Punjab Education Minister Mr. Vijay Inder Singla today said, the BJP led union government was imposing examinations on students, ignoring the fact of fear of life. But we will not compromise with the lives of students. That is why the Congress party has taken a decision to stand with the protesting students and their parents.
Mr. Singla said that the state government would soon file a collective review petition in the Supreme Court. “Amid fears of COVID pandemic reaching its peak in September, the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has directed the Advocate General of the state to take up the matter with his counterparts in other opposition ruled states for filing a collective review petition seeking postponement of the examinations”, said the Education Minister.
The safety of students is paramount for us, said Mr. Singla, adding that keeping this in mind, the state government has closed all schools and colleges of the state. But if the central government is adamant to conduct examinations, these should be held online by shunning the practice of holding physical examinations. He said that students and their parents should have to be free minded for such important examinations but during the Corona pandemic, everyone is suffering from mental stress. Besides this, many restrictions including traffic limits have also been imposed by various state governments in view of COVID-19, which may cause difficulties to the students and parents while travelling. And, the deteriorating situation due to floods in many states and lack of examination centers in many places will create further trouble for them, he added.
Mr. Singla asserted that the union government should learn the lesson from protesting people and students and should postpone examinations until the situation normalizes or hold examinations online. “Students’ lives would be at risk in wake of the holding of examinations and this could not be denied, he further added.
