Students have started a trend on microblogging platform, Twitter, with #WaiveFeePromoteStudents, demanding a complete waiver of semester fees and promotion to next year.
The trend has been started by National Students Union of India (NSUI), a students' body affiliated with the Congress. The online campaign started by the students' body has been signed by over 10,000 students nationwide.
Supporting the demand, Congress party has said, "while education institutes remain shut, the future of many students hangs in limbo. The HRD Ministry must act immediately and provide the necessary relief to lakhs of students in the country."
While education institutes remain shut, the future of many students hangs in limbo. The HRD Ministry must act immediately and provide the necessary relief to lakhs of students in the country.#WaiveFeePromoteStudents pic.twitter.com/zdANL46eox
— Congress (@INCIndia) May 11, 2020
Educational institutions have been closed in the country since March 16 due to COVID-19 pandemic.
"Students in Final Year should be promoted based on past performance with 10% extra marks since it is observed that students improve their performance in the final year," NSUI has demanded.
In its demand over the semester fees of students, NSUI has also said that Universities may seek additional funds from PM Cares fund where teachers and university staff contributed.
The Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES fund) is a public charitable trust that has been set up recently for dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to those affected.
"We also demand that universities should completely waive off the semester's fee. Families across the spectrum have suffered great economic loss. We believe that in this time, the education of our youth should not suffer and hence demand that one semester's fee is waived," NSUI has said.
Many universities have already decided to promote first year and second year students on basis of previous semester marks and to conduct exams for final year students. Many final year students have opposed to this.
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