Letters To The Editor: Student distress over offline exam

Student distress over offline exam

The decision of some premier Universities of Assam - CU, GU, ASTU etc., to conduct pen and paper mode exams in these unfavourable times, when COVID is wreaking havoc in Assam, has taken the entire student community by shock. The students of various these esteemed universities have vehemently voiced their apprehensions and fears through social media platforms pleading with the concerned authority to discard offline examinations considering the dire circumstances. This move to conduct offline exams reflects the university officials' dedication and commitment to professional integrity. However, this move has left students discontented for numerous reasons, which hold merit. The recent surge in COVID infections in university campuses has triggered insecurity and horror among the students. Potential violation of social distancing norms during offline exams resulting in the spread of COVID from them to their aged parents and loved ones have caused them tremendous panic. Moreover, contracting the virus during exam season will result in backlogs as it will render the students bed-ridden with acute illness. The onus lies in the powers that be to look into the concerns of the students.

Arindam Kashyap Ray

Guwahati

Bravo

On last Sunday morning while basking in the morning sun with a cup of tea and local daily, I suddenly found a heated telephonic conversation in a social media platform, courtesy a local vernacular TV channel where a law maker, named DrAmiyo Kumar Bhuyan, MLA law maker from Bihpuria constituency was intimidating a lady police officer for questioning his diktat. The very same conversation reminded me of few Hindi cinema scenes where an upright and brave police officer dared to question an arrogant and corrupt law maker. We the audience very rightlystood behind the said police officer for her uncompromising stand. In reality it is very disturbing and amusing to see how a lawmaker of the ruling party in reality can threaten an honest police officer for not breaking the law at his behest.

I earnestly expect that our CM will do the needful to chain this arrogant MLA from Bihpuria as he did so in case of an erring DC in Nagaon in full view if the public. We the electorates of the state don't care what action the BJP will take against this law-breaking lawmaker as we have already decided our line of action. Before parting I salute this lady police officer. JAI HIND.

Dr Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

Threat to civilization

In a world where people were busy in accumulating material possession, running after high ambition, materialistic profit and success ; suddenly are struggling for oxygen. Suddenly people are trapped inside houses. A tiny virus has destroyed the pride of human civilization instantly. This pandemic of Covid-19 that has been terrorising people for last two years taught that human beings are just a part of nature like other species, not the master of this world. This terrible situation left thousands of financially paralysed and mentally devastated whereas nature is still strong and stable in its stand. Human civilization has been dominating over nature and trying to assert its superiority for decades and now man's growing greed, hunger for civilization are pathetically shattered in one second. The pandemic brought out the restless and helpless sides, the mental suffocation of a material-oriented world in the trapped environment. This existential crisis now seems to wake the needed consciousness among people.

Mamani Das

Barpeta Town.