A letter to the education minister

To

Suresh Bhardwaj

Education Minister

Himachal Pradesh

Date: 17.06.2020

Subject: Suggestions by the student community in the time of corona

Sir,

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad has been committed towards national reconstruction ever since its inception. In the field of education, we are active across the country in almost all institutions, and working towards awakening a spirit of nationalism among the students. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic forced a lockdown in India, dedicated workers of the ABVP have been continuously engaged in providing service to the society.

The educational process, too, has suffered due to the lockdown. On May 11 and 12, the Himachal Pradesh unit of the Vidyarthi Parishad reached out to 9,920 stutdents over the telephone in order to discuss issues related to education. The students gave us various suggestions related to academics. We are presenting to you this memorandum of various recommendations and request you to execute them. The suggestions are as follows:

1. All universities and institutes of higher learning must release their academic calendar for the upcoming session as per the UGC rules in order to dispel the prevailing uncertainty among students.

2. Universities and colleges may be asked to hold their examinations by following the protocols of social distancing and sanitisation once the covid transmission in the state is controlled.

3. A new policy may be introduced to promote establishment of webinar cells equipped with modern facilities in all educational institutes. Combined with distance learning centres and online teaching, this will encourage a comprehensive education model.

4.For students who are unable to attend e-classes and online lectures due to lack of internet, study material must be provided by post (as is generally done by HPU's International Centre for Distance Education and Open Learning or ICDEOL, for example).

5. Each college and university of Himachal Pradesh must open a placement cell which is linked to the state labour and employment department. It will help pass-outs with employment while current students will be able to stay updated with livelihood opportunities.

6. Scholarship to students belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has not been released for the past two years, which is disappointing. Pending scholarship must be disbursed immediately.

7. The fee hike in HP University's ICDEOL must be rolled back.

8. The hostel fees during the period of the lockdown must be waived off.

9. The cluster university at Mandi must start classes this session.

10. The hefty fees at agricultural and horticultural universities must be brought down.

11. The vacant post of chairperson of the HP Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission must be filled up soon.

In wake of the special circumstances created by the coronavirus, we have presented some measures for desirable changes in the academic field. These can be implemented in post-covid times for the betterment of students.

Thank You.

Yours faithfully,

Rahul Rana

Pradesh Mantri

ABVP

Himachal Pradesh