The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad has written a letter to the HRD Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal to point out the major issues students are facing during the pandemic and suggested solutions that the ministry can explore. ABVP also said that they welcome the ministry's decision to conduct examinations for the final year students. The student body had earlier supported the decision, then made a u-turn a few days later to say that online education can ruin the lives of students. Now they have also suggested that "post offices and mail be used to send question papers to students residing in regions devoid of internet connectivity, while students in regions where the pandemic is under control and conditions are close to normal can appear in regular examinations conducted with proper social distancing and hygiene protocols being enforced".
"ABVP stands with every student in these testing times. We have not only been raising the issues being faced by the student community in these times with competent authorities but have also suggested solutions to them. We hope that the ministry will implement these suggestions at the earliest, paving way for a return to normalcy for the student community." said Nidhi Tripathi, National General Secretary of the ABVP.
The letter from ABVP also spoke about the financial distress of the students and urged there should be provisions for relief in the submission of fees. The students have been away from their institutes since March, hence exemption must be provided from hostel rent, electricity charge, water charges, sports charges, etc, said the memo from ABVP. They also demanded that an option of payment of fees in instalments must be provided to help ease the pressure on the students' family.
ABVP demanded that research fellows be provided with the opportunity to submit their dissertation and thesis online. "There should be ample arrangements for the same being made by all institutions. It has also been suggested that the pending interviews for Senior Research Fellowship be conducted online," said the ABVP.
