Disappointed at the Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE) conducted Madhyamik and Higher Secondary exam results, students in different parts of the State hit streets and continued protests for second successive days. Agitating students were demanding promotion for all the Students as no examinations were held due to Covid pandemic.
At Ampi and Taidu Bari under Gomati district, students blocked two main roads for indefinite period. Till the last report, aggrieved students remained defiant in continuing their blockade agitation well after dusk. Repeated persuasion by Police and concerned authorities failed to withdraw the road blockade by unsuccessful students.
Earlier, unsuccessful students assembled near the residence of the State Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath in Agartala and gheraoed the residence to put pressure in support of their demand to promote all the candidates. Male and female students of different schools, in numbers, joined in the agitation. Sensing opportunity, NSUI leaders jumped into action and its leader Samrat Roy led the agitation. Leader of Tripura Pradesh Congress, Birajit Sinha also threw his weight behind the agitating students and NSUI.
Later, police arrested many of the agitating students including Samrat Roy and other NSUI activists. A girl student sustained injury when police chased them during the protest. Speaking to the media, Roy threatened to intensify the agitation and may call for a Tripura Bandh. He said, if TBSE does not announce everyone as passed within 48 hours, NSUI will step up protests across the State, even may call a Tripura Bandh.
“When the examinations were not held properly, on what basis the students got failed,” Roy questioned the Board. He demanded that all Madhyamik and Higher Secondary candidates, who appeared in the examinations, should be promoted.
Meanwhile, unsuccessful students came out in numbers in districts and sub-divisions – even in remote areas. They vented anger at results announced by the TBSE by burning tyres, locking school gates and sitting on road blocking vehicular movement.
The first protest agitation was held by the unsuccessful students of Teliamura on July 31 – the day TBSE announced Madhyamik results. After TBSE declared HS+2 results on August 1, resentment was boiling which erupted on Monday and Tuesday.
On Monday, reacting on the students’ protest, State Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath said in a press conference that an expert committee was formed to finalize the evaluation/ tabulation process for the Board examinations.
Nath also mentioned that the students, who are not satisfied with the results, may opt for appearing in exams which are likely to be held in September, if the Corona situation permits.
However, the determined agitation showed that students straightway rejected the logic of Nath. They raised slogans against the Education Minister and remained defiant in the demand – promotion for all.
According to the informed sources, the issue may snowball into major issue and Government needs to maneuver the present situation deftly.