Exams During a Pandemic: Idealist Theory vs Fallible Practical

Any death is just a piece of statistics for the government but for the family involved it is everything. 

The world is in the firm grasp of the COVID-19 pandemic and the whole of humanity is in its firm grip. Today is August 31, for the last 27 days, India is continuously witnessing the highest number of new cases on a daily basis. A record 80092 fresh cases were registered only yesterday, thus making India the first country to cross the 80000 mark in a day. Lately, there has been a lot of talk in the news regarding the postponement of the JEE and NEET exams. In this regard, it must be understood that the talk regarding postponing exams should not solely be focussed only on the JEE and NEET. In these tough times, the government ought to refrain from conducting any examinations whatsoever. 

In the coming months, the NTA and other authorities are to conduct various national level examinations such as UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, IGNOU PhD, UPSC Civil Services entrance exams, among various others. All the competent authorities ought to postpone the examinations for an indefinite period until the situation normalizes. 

With due respect, irrespective of what the government thinks, or what the judiciary says the need of the hour is to think about the well being of each and every citizen of our country. No life has value less than any other.

It is understood that the concerned authorities will follow a standard operating procedure that would be followed, but the question is: Is it fool-proof? The authorities may control what is happening inside the examination centre but who would monitor all that happens from the doorstep of the home to that of the examination centre? 

The government is on the path towards a gradual unlock but the implementation thus far has not been any good. The detrimental effect the lockdown has had on the economy and on the pocket of the common man calls for some ease in restrictions in the lockdown; having said that, neither is there any disrespect meant nor should there be any hesitation in shedding light on the ground reality. The state of affairs on the ground are not what they should be in theory. Our population density is so high that maintaining social distancing is virtually impossible. It is not a tough task to point out all that is presently not right.

It is a complicated situation and one ought to think in a way that encompasses the greater good of society. One ought to be considerate. A slow and steady gradual unlock is justified but is conducting nationwide examinations justified? Conducting an exam means an assembly of thousands of students with their guardians at hundreds of places all over India for several days. Anyone who has ever appeared in any examination knows maintaining distancing is impossible, of course not in the examination hall. 

Moreover, in the absence of adequate public transport reaching the examination centres will in itself be an arduous task for the candidates. The powers that be need to realise that ours is yet a developing nation. A great portion of the population is still not financially prosperous. The idea of taking exams does not hold any merit. And mind that we are not yet talking about floods in a significant portion of the country. 

Philosophy is always pretty to listen but hard to understand. Similarly, the talks of living with the virus, moving forward, etc. sound good but are utterly irrational. Ask anyone who has witnessed a death. Again, it is a complicated situation, only those risks should be taken that are an absolute necessity. Opening the businesses can be justified but can taking exams during a pandemic be justified? Exams in themselves account for a lot of tension and anxiety, why increase it more? 

Courteously, the government has the obligation to listen to its citizens. People do not want exams. Who takes the guarantee that none will contract the virus? What if someone takes the virus home and it results in someone's demise in the family? Can a loss of life ever be compensated? If it is not your own life that does not mean it has a diminished value. No such decision should ever be taken that may potentially forever take away a child from their parent, and vice-versa. Any death is just a piece of statistics for the government but for the family involved it is everything. 

None has ever made the right decision by doing deliberations behind closed doors. Any sensible decision requires truthful knowledge of the ground reality. The need of the hour is to understand the difference between the idealist theory and the fallible practical. The people in power ought to consider the candidates as their own family and make a wise decision. There is no sane reason to put the lives of lakhs of candidates at risk. Nobody has given anybody the right to do so. It is high time the people in higher places think about people. 

Keeping health as the number one priority, all the examinations must be postponed indefinitely.