Indian Students’ Orgs, Unions Unite To Save Public Education
Student Struggle Editorial Team
The All India Forum to Save Public Education, a platform consisting multiple students’ organisations and unions from across the country, has declared May 20 as ‘national protest day’ to garner attention towards the issues faced by India’s students due to the pandemic and the lockdown. The platform includes major organisations like the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the All India Students’ Federation (AISF), the All India Students’ Association (AISA), and the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), and unions like the Hyderabad Central University Students’ Union (HCUSU), the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), the Pondichery University Students’ Union (PUSU).
The forum, in their official press release, addresses the several difficulties faced by the country’s student community currently — online education at a time when a majority do not have easy access to digital facilities, examinations, inefficient disbursal of fellowships, high travel cost, the targeting of student activists through UAPA amid the coronavirus crisis, and more.
Online Education
Ever since strict stay-at-home orders were issued in the country as part of the nationwide lockdown, education has moved to the digital arena, with online classes, evaluation, and examinations having become the new norm. However, a large section of students have fallen back on their education precisely because of this mode since most Indian students do not have access to the internet at all. As part of the efforts of progressive students’ organisations like SFI, on May 15, there was a ‘Twitter Storm’ online under the hashtag #DUAgainstOnlineExams, in the context of the University of Delhi deciding to conduct examinations online. That it turned out to be the most ‘tweeted’ hashtag at some point in the day is testimony to how grave the issue actually is. Attendance in most online classes has been below par and the reason for this is that penetration of internet has not been uniform across the country. The press release also speaks about security concerns that come as part of this mode, citing instances where strangers have hacked into online classes to cyber-harass both female teachers and students. The platform calls the government’s attempts to move to complete online education through portals like SWAYAM “exclusionary” and “shallow” and as measures that overlook the government’s inability to provide better public education infrastructure.
Disbursal of Fellowships
Another issue that is dealt with in the press release is the lack of promptness in distributing fellowship money, especially at a time when students from marginalised backgrounds are facing extreme distress due to the COVID-19 crisis. The lockdown has resulted in job losses, crop failures and many more issues, adding excess financial strain on such students. The forum demands that there is a mechanism developed for the speedy disbursal of UGC/CSIR/MHRD Or Ministry of Social Justice fellowships such as JRF/SRF, Non-NET, Contingency, MANF, RGNF, Single Girl Child fellowships etc.
Transport Costs
Transport costs have skyrocketed, and the “government has failed to take measures to mitigate the effects of the slump in the economy on passengers, further impacting the economy”, says the press release. The forum argues that this will adversely affect students, especially from marginalised backgrounds, trying to travel back home amid the crisis.
Targetted Attack on Student Activists Amid COVID-19
Condemning the recent arrests of Safoora Zargar, Meeran Hiader and harassment towards many others for alleged role in Delhi violence, the forum says that no action has been taken against those who actually incited them. It says that arresting student activists during such a time, most of them who had stood against the divisive CAA-NRC-NPR, is evidence enough for the the coercive and discriminatory nature of the right-wing state. It also demands the immediate release of Safoora Zargar and Meeran Haider.
Safe Return of Students
Multiple students studying in various parts of the country and stuck in such places due to the nationwide shutdown, most of them unable to sustain themselves or travel home. Many of them are even deprived of basic facilities like food/ration. The forum has requested governments to provide adequate measures to aid their travel hassle and cost free.
The demands of the forum are the following:
1. Government must provide a minimum amount of money to students and this must be sent to their bank accounts directly.
2. Disbursal of fellowships, scholarships, grants – graduation to PhD
3. Government must waive three months’ fee.
4. Hostels must not charge any fee during the lockdown. Government must pay rent on behalf of students who have to pay rent.
5. Government must take necessary steps to ensure the basic needs of the students.
6. Mental healthcare system to be set up for students during lockdown.
7. Ensure the safe return of migrant workers and payment of pending salaries of workers working in universities.
The All India Forum to Save Public Education will approach elected student unions in major universities and colleges to organise protests suited to the current scenario, in order to garner the attention of the larger citizenry towards these issues.
May 20 has been declared as an All India Protest Action Day by the forum. The plan of action is that small group of students, maintaining physical distance, will hold banners and raise slogans in streets across the nation, in addition to a social media campaign. It has appealed for “all progressive voices and the working people to unite” with the cause.
The official press release can be read here.
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