The National Students' Union of India (NSUI), Goa has urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to postpone the Senior Secondary Certificate (SSC) and Higher Senior Secondary Certificate (HSSC) exams until the entire student community is vaccinated against COVID-19. Ahraz Mulla, State president of NSUI, Goa fears that if the exams are held without vaccination of the student community, it will probably lead to a third wave of the pandemic.
In a statement, Mulla alleged that Goa has a poor state of health facilities, threatening the lives of young students. The NSUI has demanded the Chief Minister to open vaccination for all the people, regardless of age. The student wing of Congress has also asked Sawant to ensure the availability of vaccines at the earliest, before the third wave hits the country.
Hitting out at the Centre for exporting the vaccines, Mulla said, "The Prime Minister had the courtesy to send the vaccine across the world but did not think of the children of Goa or India. Vaccination has to be the priority before holding any entrance or board exams in India."
"In the interest of the younger generation, and largely of Goa, we strongly demand the government to act swiftly and postpone all exams until vaccination," he added. Cornering Sawant, he said while opposition parties are striving to help the people of Goa, the Chief Minister should "stop sleeping comfortably because it is clearly visible that he is snoring".
