NHRC warns Centre over poor students facing hardship in education amid COVID-19 pandemic

Over the hardships, miseries, and sufferings of financially weak students in attending online classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday warned the Centre of coercive action while issuing the final reminder to the notice served-- to the Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development, and Secretary, Education, Department of Higher Education. The NHRC passed the order acting on a petition filed by noted human rights activist and Supreme Court advocate Radhakanta Tripathy.

"No report is received from the Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development, and Secretary, Education, Department of Higher Education, despite the notice issued. Let a reminder be issued to the authorities concerned to submit a report within four weeks failing which the commission shall be constrained to take resort to coercive measures under section 13 of the Protection of Human Right Act (PHRA)," the NHRC stated in its order.

Tripathy sought urgent intervention of the NHRC and moved a petition stating the hardships and life-risk run by students to get the internet connection required for the online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The students have to walk miles out of their homes, trekking water tanks, trees, and hills, etc.

"While 'Stay Home and Stay Safe' has been the campaign propagated by both the Centre and states, due to inaccessibility of internet, poor connectivity, and lack of power supply, students, especially in the remote areas and from the vulnerable segment, have to come out of their houses and walk for miles for the bare necessities for their studies. This creates an education deficit and enlarges the gap of privileges among the student communities in the country," Tripathy told ANI.

The plea stated that due to the lack of active intervention by the government more than one crore of students across India have been deprived of education. Also, for many students in many areas of the country, there are no proper facilities for proper power supply and digital connectivity.

Tripathy cited various problems that are faced by the students. 

•  In Odisha due to the non-availability of the mobile network around 38 lakh students are deprived of the facility in their areas and the Odisha government. has admitted it.
• In Telangana, students in tribal areas and remote villages suffer the same problem, the petition added.
• In Jammu and Kashmir due to the government restricted network connectivity to 2G instead of 4G students could not access online classes.

Tripathy further requested the NHRC to ensure

• Digital connectivity throughout the year covering the whole of India
• Smart mobile phone to each one of financially poor student 
• Proper electricity supply and network connectivity for online classes during exigencies and post-pandemic period as well.

(With ANI Inputs)

(Image Credits: PTI)