Delhi Violence: Students appearing for CBSE exams share their challenges.
Students from violence-hit areas of northeast Delhi, where over 42 people died earlier this week and over 200 were injured amid clashes over controversial citizenship law, say they feel unprepared for their Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams. Many of these students, forced to leave their homes, say they have no books and admit cards.
The CBSE on Saturday said that the board exams for Class 12 and Class 10 "will be held as scheduled" in the affected areas from Monday. The statement came a day after the Delhi High Court said that shifting board examination centres at this time is "not a viable option".
Mohammad Sameer, a Class 10 student from Shiv Vihar, one of the worst-hit areas in the national capital, escaped arson earlier this week. "I couldn't even carry my slippers at the time of mob attack. I had an exam yesterday but I couldn't appear," he told NDTV, adding that he doesn't have books to study.
Rahul Giri, 16, has to appear for Class 10 exams, but he is badly injured after he was attacked with acid. He still hasn't recovered from the trauma, according to his family.
"I had gone to a local shop to buy something. I saw some men, part of a mob... they attacked me. My skin was burning... I fell unconscious," he recounted.
Rahul hid for about half an hour after the attack, could not be rushed to hospital due to chaos, his mother recalled.
Another Class 12 student, while speaking to NDTV, said many students like her left their homes without any personal belongings during arson, mob attacks. "I could study only till last week. When violence unfolded, everything came to a halt. We left unprepared and we did not what was coming," she said.
While the CBSE has offered an option to download admit cards, students say it would not be convenient for them at this point of time.
The violence-hit areas in northeast Delhi are also facing a shortage of basic commodities amid heightened security and restrictions. Some localities have turned into ghost towns after hundreds of families fled to safety.