Shocking that CBSE will hold exams, Priyanka Gandhi writes to Nishank

After the CBSE board issued a circular stating that it is going ahead with the Board exams scheduled in May, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has written to Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank that its 'shocking' that the CBSE has decided to go ahead with exams despite parents expressing fears and 'apprehensions' about assembling at exam centres in the middle of the second wave of the pandemic. She said these 'apprehensions' are not 'Unreasonable', so exams should be cancelled.

She, in her letter said, "It will be practically impossible to ensure the safety of students at large and at crowded exam centres. Additionally, given the nature and the spread of the virus, it is not just the students who will be at risk but also their teachers, invigilators and family members who are in contact with them. Aside from this, by forcing the children to sit for these exams during a raging pandemic, the Government and the CBSE board will be held responsible in the event that any of the exam centres prove to be hotspots at which large numbers of children become infected with the disease."

She said that the responsibility to protect and guide the young lies with the political leaders. As state after state issues guidelines preventing the assembly of large numbers of people in public places, what moral grounds can we stand on, while forcing young children to do exactly that.

"It is not just the physical health of these children, but also their psychological well-being that can be deeply impacted. They already face the immense pressure of the exams; in addition, they will now be fearing the conditions in which they will be taking them." she said.

Being forced to sit for exams donning masks, gloves and other protective gear under the spectre of a deadly disease will cause unnecessary anxiety to these children and impact their ability to perform as well.

She advocated parents' demand that they are rightfully requesting that the exams be cancelled under the prevailing circumstances.

"I do hope that the Government will engage in a dialogue with schools, students and their parents so that a safer way for them to fulfil their educational obligations can be found. Rather than forcing them into a potentially dangerous situation, it would be in the fitness of things for them to be given the support, encouragement and protection that is due to them at this very trying time." Priyanka Gandhi said.