Will 2020-21 be a zero academic year or not?

ero Academic Year (ZAY) is a phrase that is being debated a lot, in the last 2 months. Since March end, Indian schools have not opened to students. This means, roughy 1 to 1.3 crore students from 1st to 12th grade, have not attended school, full time.

How can we tell ALL students, "hey! last year you were all in n-th grade, this year also you will do the same grade only" ?!

Various state Governments are internally discussing on this topic. But just one state alone cannot implement it.

Points that support this ZAY:

1. Since students have not attended school full time, their subject knowledge is questionable
2. Just giving "all pass" will not add any value to students
3. Students will not be able to participate in competitive exams. The knowledge level is skewed between private and public schools
4. If we allow all to pass to next grade and allow students of 12th to appear for competitive exams, private school students will grab almost all the seats, as they had online classes.
5. Pressure on teachers will be high to compensate the portions of last year and this year

Points that do NOT support ZAY:

1. The psychology of students will be impacted in the worst possible manner
2. Why can't we think of a new academic year start and end, why should we stick to June-to-May calendar?
3. Making students lose 6 months is better than making them lose a whole year
4. Teachers are old enough to take the pressure rather than passing it on to young students

ZAY will be the hot topic and it will be debated in the coming months..

Image by AkshayaPatra Foundation from Pixabay