Students’ protests, demonstration in Karimganj against SEBA and AHSEC's alternative evaluation method

The Assam Government has recently scrapped off its state boards’ class 10 and 12 final examinations keeping in view the current Covid-19 situation of the state. Instead, a committee has been formed by the government to oversee and devise an alternative evaluation process for the students. But the recent remark of the government suggesting that this alternative evaluation process wouldn’t count in the field of government jobs has drawn some serious flak from the people. Today, the All India Democratic Students’ Organization (AIDSO), Karimganj district committee has organized a demonstration programme protesting this decision of the government and has laid down some points to address in the best interest of the students.

According to the demands of the All India DSO, Karimganj committee, due to the prevailing Covid-19 conditions, the alternative evaluation should be given equal preference by the government to that of the usual previous examination based evaluation process. Also, for the best interest of the students, just like in the case of admission procedure, equal preference should be given to alternative evaluation processes in case of government jobs as well. Their primary question to the government is that if the CBSE can assure equal status to their alternative evaluation enforced during the pandemic in case of employment, why can’t state boards like SEBA and AHSEC do the same? Similarly, if other state education boards in other states of the country can guarantee equal preference in case of government jobs to their alternative evaluation process, why can’t SEBA and AHSEC provide the same for their students?

On Saturday, the committee members started a procession from their district office chanting slogans to the foothill of the Rabindranath Tagore’s statue point. The committee’s District President Sujit Kumar Paul has alleged that the government is now trying to shove down its responsibility to the students themselves after failing to organise HSLC and HS examinations on time due to their power centric politics and is now avoiding their responsibility under the pretext of Corona. He also said that the government by making the statement that the soon-to-be-announced examination results “would only be considered for admission purpose, but not in the case of employment” have ruined the dignity of the results they’re about to declare.

“In case of people seeking TET and other government jobs, one has to sit and clear their competitive entrance test through which eligible candidates are selected. If important entrance examinations like medical and engineering, and other higher studies entrance tests, can consider this year’s alternative evaluation process in their selection process, why can’t the state government provide the same in case of their government jobs? This decision of the government will put a lot of stress on the students”, asserts Sujit Kumar Paul.

He further said that the Education Minister was repeatedly urged by the organization to hold discussions regarding the decision of the test assessment as well as the alternative evaluation method with the eminent teachers of the state, eminent academicians of the state who are not in charge of any government position, students’ and teachers’ organization working for the interest of the students, before deciding on the fate of the evaluation process. Rather the government ignored the appeal of the organisation and went ahead with their own people to arrive at a one-sided decision which is not only unfair but unreasonable and insensitive to the students as well.

The organization called upon the students, academicians and educators of the state to form a vehemently protest against this decision of the government.