NSUI’s #PromoteStudentsSaveFuture Trends With Over 1 Lakh Tweets

NSUI has demanded that college students across all semesters be passed in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

Around one lakh Twitter users have come out in support of Congress-backed National Students Union of India’s demand that college students across all semesters be promoted on the basis of internal assessment and that online exams should not be held as many may not have access to the internet.

One among several Congress leaders to have tweeted in support of the demand is the party’s Karnataka leader DK Shivakumar, who said that the NSUI’s appeal is important as the coronavirus pandemic has “made the future of students uncertain.”

The unprecedented corona crisis has made the future of our students uncertain.@nsui's petition has valid suggestions including complete waiver of semester fees & mass promotions of students to the next term.#PromoteStudentsSaveFuture
https://t.co/96GJYiWQjI

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) May 24, 2020

Calling for an end to the uncertainty over college exams, NSUI in an earlier Change.org petition, had said that ,“Online exams are likely to be discriminatory to the underprivileged students given the highly uneven access to infrastructure and connectivity. It is also inadvisable to conduct exams without completion of course work in a physical class.”

In this context, the NSUI has demanded

• First and second year students be promoted without exams
• Final year students be promoted on the basis of past performance, with 10 percent extra marks
• Universities should completely waive semester fee

Several users tweeted with #PromoteStudentsSaveFuture and demanded that exams be cancelled and students be promoted.

You may keep your extra marks if you like. We don't demand charity. Pass us on the basis of our average and the internals we have already attended. #promote_University_students #PromoteStudentsSaveFuture https://t.co/D0bhU4sMMA

— Sidharth Sabat (@virtuous_virus) May 24, 2020

STUDENTS are also humans.
STUDENTS are also the part of the society.
STUDENTS are the FUTURE.
STUDENTS health is more important than exams. #PromoteStudentsSaveFuture #cancelfinalyearexam

— Abhijeet Jadhao (@Abhijee92794449) May 24, 2020

#PromoteStudentsSaveFuture @ugc_india@samant_uday
Makes sense. If a student has reached Final Yr, it shows his/her calibre as compared to those who are in 1st or 2nd yr. Thus Final Yr deserve the same treatment as per the UGC formula based on more reliable track record. https://t.co/wBYFqapACD

— Shubham Sirsath (@PradipSirsath) May 24, 2020

#PromoteStudentsSaveFuture
आज जब एक दवा लेने भी मार्केट जाता हूँ तो एक डर सताये रहता है जब तक 8,9 दिन नही बिट जाता तब तक चिंता बना रहता है, और आज इस महामारी में जहाँ लोग अपने घर को जा रहे वहां हम छात्र एक राज्य से दूसरे राज्य परीक्षा जाकर देना उचित नही लगता।@DrRPNishank

— Abhishek Singh Sunny (@isinghsunny) May 24, 2020

With multiple challenges & this great economic halt slapped, has emptied the pockets. A relief in terms of a fee waiver & promoting students would be a ray of hope for many low-income families that make up the maximum population of this nation.#PromoteStudentsSaveFuture

— Upendra Malakar (@upendrarbs) May 24, 2020

What the UGC Said About Exams

In an advisory dated Wednesday, 29 April, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had said that terminal semester examinations (popularly referred to as final year examinations) will be held in the month of July.

UGC also said that intermediate semester exams, which simply means exams between two semesters, will be held in July for states in which the COVID-19 situation has normalised. However, it is not clear as to how the UGC plans to define the situation in any state as ‘normalised.’

Only in the case of intermediate semester exams, the UGC said that, “If the situation does not appear to be normal in view of COVID-19, exams can be cancelled and students can be assessed on the basis of internal assessment.”

• 50 percent marks on the basis of pattern of internal evaluation
• 50 percent marks to performance in previous semester, if any

Internal assessment can include continuous evaluation, prelims, mid-semester, internal evaluation or whatever name is given for student “progression.”