As I reflect on the never ending days that stretch ahead of me with a sigh of desperation and a tinge of regret I try to convince myself of the brutal, seemingly constant reality. The earlier days of denial have been now replaced with a woeful resignation and acceptance of the fact that me like the whole world have been stuck in this labyrinth of time and an escape from this maze does not loom anywhere near my horizons.
The ramifications of this lockdown are extensive and far reaching that one cannot possibly imagine listing them all out. Ranging from primary schools to business empires the lockdown has crumbled the functioning of almost every institution, political, economical and cultural. I also realise that our university too has not been spared from the wrath of this malady.
The unexpected lockdown has led the university to shut down and students to be sent home. Although the reasons for such actions are truly legit the consequences of it cannot be overlooked. Our education has been substantially compromised, the academic curriculum disrupted and a chaotic atmosphere with no clarity or precision prevails.
But as far as I can gauge, our final years are bearing the maximum brunt of the situation. Their last year of study has been abruptly put to a halt, stripping them of the chance to rejoice those highly coveted days of college life. The drastic impact it will have on their academics is blatant and obvious. But what troubles me more and I am afraid might be overlooked is, the emotional toll the scenario will take on them. The final semester is indeed special for every student and when that experience has been snatched away from them it sure is not a pleasant place to be in. The final lap of the beautiful journey of campus life deserves to be spent with cheer, love and memories. Reminiscing the days they spent together, the laughter they shared and the tears shed, the last days of college are meant to stay etched forever in their hearts.
But contemporary events have led to the erosion of such possibilities and the final years spending their days locked up in the solitude of their rooms. Added to this is the fact that our Universities’ academia has been severely mauled by the protest movements against the CAA- NRC legislations. We were not able to attend classes and the University had shut down.
The cumulative effect of which being an extreme dubiousness surrounding our academic plan. Although those of us who protested did make a conscious choice to boycott classes it doesn’t mean that we at any point undermined the relevance of academics. On the other hand it highlights our responsiveness and social commitment .Our chivalry to stand up against establishments that defy the fundamentals of our country’s constitution deserves respect and veneration..It is highly unfair that our education is the price we pay for this fight against injustice.
The current situation is most definitely unprecedented and deeply disturbing. I therefore do not aim at criticising the university’s reaction to those events. The sole purpose is to remind the administration the intensity of the toll the lockdown has taken on us. I believe my words echo the sentiment of almost every student of this university. As I outline our emotional and tangible problems I hope that a sincere attempt be made to resolve the conundrum. In an infallible optimism that we shall all soon be able to greet freedom sans masked visages, breathing in the air of change and slip back into the chaos of life, I conclude with a note of sigh, of how badly I miss the Jamia campus.
