The COVID pandemic has landed every sector in a trembling situation. Where India has breached the 20 lakh mark in COVID cases, citizens are seen struggling with their daily life. On Thursday, India registered 60,000 cases in 24 hours for the first time while the number of recoveries surged to 13.78 lakh, according to Union Health Ministry data.
The worst-hit sector, post economy, can be said to be the education system. Institutes have started declaring the current session as the zero session while some are preferring general promotions.
In this row, the students of the MP School of Drama seemed to be concerned about their future. The students, on Friday, observed a peaceful protest in demand for either a 'zero year' or online classes for the leftover session.
The students of acting complained that the institute is giving a general promotion by organing a session of only 15-days. They demanded online training for the remaining four months of the session.
While talking to the media, students said, "We are the students of MP School of Drama. But there is no basis for us being the students.
General promotion is being given by the Drama School by conducting 15 days class for the students of 2019-20.
The news has been published in newspapers by the Drama School that from September, interview for admissions in the new session will begin. How can they start a new session when the old session is yet not over?
We have kept our words in front of the director of the school, Culture Minister and Directorate, but to no avail.
We want this session to be declared as Zero Year or get our 4 months back. We want complete education, not an incomplete session of 15 days.
Only formality is being done in the name of online classes. Our concern is that acting is a performing art. How to learn it online?
In July last year, we got elected from different corners of the country and the state. There have been many problems since the beginning of our session in which the main problem was finance. This led to the absence of teachers. There was a possibility of recovering the condition by the efforts of the students but due to COVID-19, our classes could not be held.
It is our only wish that when the whole country is worried about its future and is motivating the coming generations to make their own way; At the time the new education policy is being set and the importance of arts and skills in education is moving forward.
Why are we theater trainees being ignored at such a time? Why is our future being played with? Why our session is not being completed when other institutions of the country are taking decisions like ‘zero years’ in this subject.
We do not see any option to complete the remaining course even zero years away."
