All Sikkim Democratic Students' organisation.

ASDSO stands with the struggling students of Sikkim Government college Gyalshing, Aarigaon yangthang West Sikkim.

REMEMBERING SAVITRIBAI PHULE PL ON HER 190TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY.

She was the first lady teacher of modern India, a social reformer,
a radical exponent of mass and female education, a champion of women’s liberation, and a courageous mass leader.

"End misery of the oppressed and Forsaken, You've got a golden chance to learn, So speak and break the chains of Caste"

-Savitribai Phule.

Observe martyrs day of Ram prasad bismil and Ashfaqualla khan in a befitting manner today i.e 19th December.

ASDSO extends solidarity to the struggling farmers, who are fighting Against three Farms bill, which was passed by the central BJP government in the month of september 2020.
Farmers are continuously opposing this bill in different parts of the country since the month of september itself, after the bill was signed by the president of the country. The farmers from the beginning reiterate for the withdrawal of three anti-farmers' bill but
the central government led by BJP has not shown any concern towards farmers' demands yet,

It was on 26th november 2020 that, several farmers unions had called for a general strike across the country, it went successful and the protest is still going on, in the border of capital, I.e Delhi, and different parts of the country.

It has been more then 9 days but central government led by BJP have not addressed the demands of the farmers, instead Central government is using a state machinary against farmers, which is highly condemnable act and shows a fascistic character of BJP government.

All Sikkim Democratic Students' Organisation stands with the struggling farmers of the nation and appeals all the Students' organisations, youths' organisations, workers, Teachers, Doctors, lawyers, Rational thinker, Progressive minded people, Democracy loving people to stand with the struggling farmers and make this movement successful.

Long live farmers unity. Long live working class movement.

IF THE DEAF ARE TO HEAR,THEN SOUND HAS TO BE VERY LOUD.
- BHAGAT SINGH.

24 May 1896 – 16 November 1915) Kartar singh sarabha was an Indian revolutionary who was the most famous and reputed martyrs of Punjab and India. He was 15 years old when he became a member of Ghadar Party, then he came up as a leading luminary member and started fighting for the independence movement. He was one of the most active members of the movement. In November 1915 at Lahore, Kartar Singh Sarabha was executed for his role in the movement when he was 19 years old. On his 106th martyrdom day we are Remembering Kartar Singh sarabh and his uncompromising struggle, LONG LIVE SHAHEED KARTAR SINGH SARABHA.

Due to some technical errors and network problem, we became unable to conduct a session on "Scientific approach to understand Education and Educational policy" today. We will be continuing the same some other days.

We would like to apologise for an inconvenience.

All Sikkim Democratic Students' organisation is organising a webinar on Scientific approach to understand the role of Education and Educational policy from the page of ASDSO on 22nd of this month ( i.e Thursday)

Time- 2.00 PM onwards.
Speaker- Sourav Mukherjee. ( Executive member of AISEC- All India Save Education Committee)

ASDSO is going to conduct a Webinar on New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, (Higher Education) through ASDSO page on 10th October 2020, sharply from 2pm onwards.

PRESS RELEASE.

It is a stark reality that Educational sector is one of the most neglected sector in the state. Students across the state are in the marsh of problems, be it in the schools, colleges or Universities.

In the Government schools, Colleges and University of Sikkim, the most prevailing problems are scarcity of Teachers, lecturers, no proper infractures, no permanent land, no permanent buildings etc.
Already the condition of students was pathetic yet again with the commencement of online classes the students mostly belonging from the unstable economical background were burdened with new problems.

It has been almost seven months that the students are facing a lot of difficulties in process of acquiring online education like Unavailability of smart phones, Poor network connectivity and lastly Frequent power cutoff.

Several times the demands were placed before the concerned department and Government of Sikkim demanding basic required materials such as Smart phones to needy, better internet connectivity and frequent flow of electricity, several times we received an assurances from the Department of Education but till now not a single step have been taken towards ongoing problems among the Student section of state. The Students still are struggling with the said problems even today.

Without solving the above mentioned ongoing problems of students, the students are again burdened with a new set of problems.
On 6th oct 2020, Education Department released the names of the third list students, where most of the students names ain't enrolled. The students whose names are not there in the list, where will they go for higher studies?

ASDSO, had suggested the Department of Education during time of meeting with Hon'ble Education Minister, along with all other officials of Education Department, to increase the numbers of seat in all the Colleges and state University too. Viewing a situation of pandemic, number of seats in all the Government colleges of Sikkim and State University should be increased accordingly to accommodate all the students of State within Sikkim, but it seems that the Department of Education disregarded the suggestions made by ASDSO.

Now, in this arduous situation, where will the students go for their higher studies, whose names are not released in third list too? Why the Department of Education and Government of Sikkim is acting as an unconscionable?
What about the career of those students?
How can a Department of Education and Government of Sikkim deprive the students from their fundamental right?

ASDSO, demands the Department of Education and Government of Sikkim to take a palliative decision in favour of suffering students immediately.

ASDSO is going to conduct a Webinar on New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, (School Education) through ASDSO page on 8th October 2020, sharply from 2pm onwards.

Press Release

It was on 14th September 2020, a girl from Hathras, UP was gang r***d by four men, who chopped her tongue and broke her spines. She was rushed to the nearby hospital at Aligarh where she struggled for her life under ventilator for three days, after which she was shifted to Safdarjung hospital, New Delhi, but her condition filed to improve in the slightest and according to the sources we came to know that yesterday i.e on 29th of September she succumbed to death in the Safdarjung hospital, New Delhi.

This is not the first incident upon Women in our country, several times such unprecedented crimes have been witnessed and are still witnessing by the women. From a small child of 3 months to and old women of 90s are not safe today. Even the daughters do not feel safe with their biological father, the mothers do not feel safe with their own sons, students do not feel safe from their teachers in the Schools, Colleges and Universities too, from a small child to an old women, all are not safe anywhere from everyone. In an abridged, women, today have been transformed into a commodity, which can be even r***d and murdered.

In most of the cases we have seen that delinquent commits such unprecedented crimes in an intoxicated stage. Such incidents expose the real and pathetic condition of women in our country as well as State.

In the past couple of months, Sikkim, which was known as one of the most safe place of our country have witnessed several unprecedented crimes upon women like Murder, Sexual Molestation, R**e and so on. ASDSO from the beginning is appealing the Government to ponder upon an increasing crimes upon women and work towards finding out an influencing factors of crimes upon women but in contrary, the factors such as obscenity, drugs and liquors (in particular) in the state Sikkim is getting supports from the Government.

In some cases, we notices that such cases hardly comes to the public, even when such cases comes to the public, the power of money works in hiding the crimes. Most cases do not comes out to the public because the victims do not have faith in the justice delivery system. Delay in punishment is another factor responsible for hiding of such crimes and emergence of compromising thoughts among the victims. The presently existing laws, the system and the society has failed to protect the women from several unprecedented crimes like Murders, Molestations , r**es and so on.
Delay in punishment and most of the time no- punishment to the culprits due to their power in play, is encouraging criminals to accomplish such inhuman activities.

ASDSO, in general highly condemn such delinquency and demands an exemplary punishment to the culprits of recent gang r**e case of Hathras, UP.
Further, ASDSO feels that Liquors is one among the influencing factors responsible for increasing crimes upon women in the state, Therefore, ASDSO demands State Government of Sikkim to put a ban on Liquors in the state.

Remembering Saheed -E-Azam, Bhagat Singh on his 113th Birth Anniversary.

Long Live Revolution.

ASDSO SENT A LETTER THROUGH EMAIL CITING FAIR INVESTIGATION UPON THE RECENT BRUTAL R**E CASE AND DEMANDING EXEMPLARY PUNISHMENT TO THE CULPRIT.

Today, ASDSO sent a letter to the Honorable chief minister (Government of Sikkim) and Women Commission (Sikkim), regarding rising crimes upon women in Sikkim and demanded for an easy and Swift justice to the victim and exemplary punishment to a culprit of recent r**e case of 32 years old disable women.

ASDSO also suggested the Government to ponder upon the rising crimes upon the women and further suggests the Government to find the root cause of all such rising crimes upon women incessantly.

महान धर्मनिरपेक्ष मानवतावादी ईश्वरचंद्र विद्यासागर

26 सितम्बेर, भारत में पुनर्जागरण आंदोलनों के अग्रणी और बाल विवाह के विरुद्ध व विधवा विवाह के पक्ष में सबसे पहले खड़े होने वाले महान मानवतावादी ईश्वरचंद्र विद्यासागर का जनम दिवस है। वे न केवल एक महान मानवतावादी थे, बल्कि वे सामाजिक व्यवस्था के प्रति वैज्ञानिक, धर्मनिरपेक्ष दृष्टिकोण के एक असम्बद्ध अधिवक्ता भी थे। उन्होंने धार्मिक लिपियों पर आधारित तत्कालीन शिक्षा प्रणाली, अंधविश्वासी पुराने मूल्यों पर आधारित सामाजिक व्यवस्था पर ध्यान केंद्रित किया। समाज को एक गहरे अंधकार से बाहर लाने के लिए, उन्होंने तत्कालीन समाज को एक रोशनी दिखाई थी।
वह सामाजिक रूढ़िवादी मानसिकता के बीच आधुनिक सोच उत्पन्न करने के लिए अडिग थे। वे तत्कालीन शासक वर्ग के एक अकल्पनीय प्रतिरोध का सामना कर रहे थे, लेकिन कभी भी उन्होने अपने सिर को नहीं झुकाया। उन्होंने कभी वैज्ञानिक विचारधारा के साथ समझौता नहीं किया।

उन्होंने हमेशा धर्मनिरपेक्ष वैज्ञानिक शिक्षा के लिए प्रतिज्ञा की। एक उदाहरण यह है, जब वह संस्कृत महाविद्यालय के प्राचार्य थे, तो उन्होंने पाठ्यक्रम बनाने के लिए आवश्यक कदम उठाए, जैसे कि वैज्ञानिक और तर्कसंगत सोच का प्रचार किया और ऐसे पाठ्यक्रम बनाने का प्रयास किया जो धार्मिक विचारों और धार्मिक कट्टरता से मुक्त हो।

गरीबों और शोषितों के प्रति उनकी गहरी भावना थी और इस तरह वह उन्हें शिक्षित करना चाहते थे ताकि वे स्वयं मुक्ति के वास्तविक मार्ग को पहचान सकें। इसके लिए उन्होंने मौखिक में शिक्षण पर जोर दिया, साथ ही उन्होंने अंग्रेजी भाषा, आधुनिक गणित, विज्ञान और यूरोपीय दर्शन को सीखने और सिखाने पर जोर दिया।

उन्होंने तत्कालीन पितृसत्तात्मक समाज में महिलाओं की विकट स्थिति को सुधारने के लिए अथक संघर्ष किया। वह बहुत अच्छी तरह से जानते थे कि महिलाओं की मुक्ति शिक्षा में निहित है क्योंकि यह प्रतिगामी सामाजिक व्यवस्था के रास्ते पर प्रकाश डाल सकती है। नारी शिक्षा उनके जीवन के प्रमुख उद्देश्यों में से एक था।

हम मानते हैं कि हमारे देश में आधुनिक शिक्षा प्रणाली महान विद्यासागर की विरासत है। उन्होंने जनता के लिए धर्मनिरपेक्ष, वैज्ञानिक शिक्षा का सपना देखा था जो स्वतंत्रता प्राप्त करने के लंबे समय बाद भी पूरा करना बाकी है। आज हम देख रहे है कि वैज्ञानिक, धर्मनिरपेक्ष शिक्षा की दिशा में कदम उठाने के बजाय सरकार शैक्षिक क्षेत्र और सामाजिक जीवन में अश्लीलता, कट्टरता और अंधविश्वास का प्रसार कर रही है।

इस स्थिति में यह समय की मांग हैं कि उनके जीवन संघर्ष और विचारों का गहन अध्ययन करें और उससे सिख लें। ईश्वरचंद्र विद्यासागर के द्वारा शुरू किए गए वैज्ञानिक और धर्मनिरपेक्ष शिक्षा के इस सपने को पूरा करने के लिए आज जरूरत है कि उनके जीवन से प्रेरणा लेकर उनके इस संघर्ष को आगे बढ़ाए।

Translated and Edited by Rekha Sharma (Dahal)
- Literary Committee, ASDSO.

ON 200TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF ISHWAR CHANDRA VIDYASAGAR

ASDSO.

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was born on the year 26th September 1820, in Bengal. He was the most prominent campaigner for Hindu widow remarriage. And a brightest personality, the pioneer of renaissance movements in India. He was also an uncompromising advocate of scientific, secular outlook towards the social system. He focused on the education system based on religious scripts, social system based on superstitious and taboos.

To raise the society from a deep darkness, he started a journey for light, towards the cult of reasons covering all the fields of the then society.
He was very dedicated and relentless to propagate modern thinking amongst the social orthodox mindset. He had been facing an unimaginable resistance of the rulers of the then ruling class however, never bowed downs his highly erected head. He never compromised with the scientific ideology, he convinced.

He always vouched for secular, scientific education. To take one instance, when he was principal of Sanskrit College he took necessary steps to make curriculum such to propagate scientific and rational way of thinking and one which is free from outdated thoughts and religious bigotry.
He always had a deep feeling for poor and oppressed thus he wanted them to be educated so, that they can themselves recognize the real path of emancipation. For this he gave stress on teaching in vernacular, at the same time he stressed on learning and teaching English language, Modern Mathematics, Science and European Philosophy. He waged relentless struggle to improve wretched condition of women in then patriarchal society. He was very well aware that emancipation of women lies in the education because it can throw light on the way out of the regressive social system. Educating them one of the prime objectives of his life. We believe that modern education system in our is the legacy of the great Vidyasagar.

He had dreamt of secular, scientific, education for the masses which is yet to fulfill even after long period of achieving independence. Instead of steps towards achieving scientific, secular education what we are mow witnessing is the rise of obscuranticism, bigotry and superstitious in the field of educational and social life.
In this situation we believe that through the study of life struggle and thoughts of the great humanist, Iswarchandra Vidyasagar is an inspiration figure to take an lesson and to engage ourselves in the struggle of achieving Scientific, Secular education and a real free society from superstitious beliefs.

OBSERVE MARTYRS DAY OF PRITI LATTA WADDEDAR ON 23rd SEPTEMBER.

Pritilatta was one of the young and brave martyr of Indian freedom struggle, She was born on 5th may 1911 at chittagong bengal presidency of british India. Pritilatta joined a revolutionary group headed by surya sen at the age of 21.

She sacrificed her life for the sake of India independence from the British colonialism and she was martyred on 23rd september 1932.

Her sacrifices towards indian independence will never be forgotten,

Today, thousands of youth are fighting against social Injustice, inequality, religious disharmony, solely for the establishment of equality, Justice and harmony in the society with the teachings of martyr Pritilatta.

Her contribution will never be forgotten, She always remains in our heart.

LONG LIVE PRITILATTA WADDEDAR' THOUGHTS

IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE STRUGGLING STUDENTS OF GVC DENTAM WEST SIKKIM.

Students of Vocational college are struggling since many days for the fulfillment of their 4 point demands such as-

1. Post Graduate course on (M.Voc) to be started within Sikkim.

2. Permanent campus for Govt Vocational College Dentam.

3. Facilities as well as financial supports for adequate training an on-the-job training (OJT), Mandatory field trip, internship, Workshop and industrial Visits etc to the Students of all the Departments.

4. Laboratory, Library, College bus, Internet facilities to be provided to the college.

In this situation of Global pandemic, where will the students go to pursue their PG course? Should students stop their higher studies after completing their UG courses in the Vocational subjects?

How astonishing it is,to not have a single institute to pursue PG courses in Vocational subjects in the state Sikkim?

ASDSO, extends it's support to the struggling students of Vocational College Dentam West Sikkim. The genuine demands raised by the students of GVC Dentam must be fulfilled by the Government incessantly.

APPEAL.
ASDSO, appeal to all the Students' organizations of the state, Students of all the schools, Colleges and Universities, SRCs, Education loving people and all the pro-students people to extend your support in this genuine demands of Students of Vocational College.
It is not just for the struggling students in this cause at present, it is for entire Students of state who want to pursue career in Vocational education in the state.

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IS SIKKIM READY FOR ONLINE EXAMINATIONS?

Incessant rainfall and landslides have disconnected internet connectivity and the already existing problem of frequent power cuts have multiplied many folds in the recent times. The scheduled exams for the final semesters are about to begin in a few days.
In such a backdrop, how are the students going to participate in the Online examination smoothly?

What are the alternative arrangements, if they fail to submit their answer sheet in time?

Even after the supreme court giving the flexibility to the States, to postpone the examinations considering the situation in the ground, why is the Sikkim government going ahead with the examinations even after knowing that the monsoon hasn't receded completely.

SUSA and other SRCs of different colleges should bring this issue to the forefront and adress it in the students' interest.

PRESS RELEASE

IT IS AN INFINITESIMAL THOUGHT OF GOVERNMENT TO START AN ONLINE CLASS WITHOUT EXAMINING AN AVAILABILITY OF REQUIRED MATERIALS.

After a week or more of an announcement of shut down of all educational institutions was made, the concept of online education through various modes like Zoom, Watsapp, Google Meet and etc was started abruptly without examining the ground reality.

WHY DOES ONLINE MODE OF EDUCATION FAILED?

Due to a pandemic of Covid-19, all the educational institutions were closed and it was necessary to engage students in the academic affairs. Online classes were started through various sources like Zoom, Watsapp and etc blindly disregarding material conditions in view of engaging the students in the academic affairs anyhow, but the objective reality for all the section of students was not so favourable for E-learning.

STUDENTS' REACTION TO THE CONCEPT OF ONLINE EDUCATION.

Online mode of education have brought a vehicle of burdens mostly among the students belonging to the weak economic background. This very concept of education through online process is just serving a handful of privilege students.

Students residing mostly in rural areas of the state faced multiple problems in process of attending an online classes.
Students from all over the state started opposing to this discriminant concept of online education within the couple of week after the commencement of online education through various modes like WhatsApp, zoom and etc.

PROBLEMS FACED BY THE STUDENTS DUE TO IMPOSITION OF AN ONLINE LEARNING PROCESS WITHOUT PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE.

E-Classes have been proven to be a discriminatory among haves and haves not.
For attending online classes needs good quality internet, Mobile phones in good operating conditions, continuous power supply.
Due to unavailabilityof basic materials, many students from rural and economically poor families find difficulties in attending online classes. Those students residing in the urban areas too are facing a problem in attending an online class due to poor internet connectivity.
In this pandemic situation economic condition of many families is in standstill because of which many parents are facing economic burden because of which if they wish, they cannot provide all essential necessities for their children.

DID GOVERNMENT SHOWED SERIOUSNESS TOWARDS THE PROBLEMS OF STUDENTS?

The Government and the Department of Education Government of Sikkim did not showed any concern towards the same. Several individuals raised these problems through the platform of Social media many times, several students' organisation requested the Government and Department of Education to ponder upon the problems which the students were facing due to unavailability of required materials for full fledged E-Classes and demanded an immediate solution of the same but the Government and Education Department disregarded all the demands and request of every individuals and students' organisations. Instead of taking steps towards solving the problems of students the Government and concerned department acted as a mute spectator to the problems and let the students to be driven completely in the vehicle of problems, emerged by the imposition of discriminant E-learning process.

PREVIOUS STRUGGLES OF ALL SIKKIM DEMOCRATIC STUDENTS' ORGANISATION (ASDSO) ON THIS MATTER.

Viewing all such problems among the majority of students of state, ASDSO decided to bring this problems in the notice of Government and officials. It was not possible to meet them officially due to lockdown.

Thus, Asdso had hold it's first video conference regarding above mentioned problems of students on 12th may 2020. Similarly, immediately after one day, I.e on 13th may 2020, ASDSO sent a letter to Hon'ble Chief Minister through E-Mail.

In absence of any concrete steps from Government and Department of Education, ASDSO visited officials of HRDD dept at Tashiling Secretariat Gangtok East Sikkim amid pandemic on may 22nd 2020 and submitted a memorandum placing the same problems and requested the department to look after it, in the meeting, Hon'ble Minister of Education appreciated the demands and suggestion and in presence of all higher officials he gave us a verbal assurance that the team will start working on it from 23rd may 2020 itself and will come up with suitable solutions as soon as possible.
However, the verbal assurance given to us came to be proven as fake.

After waiting for more then 2 weeks again on 08th June 2020, ASDSO gave a video conference placing the same problems and demanding for an immediate solution of those problems.

Many days passed but any concrete step was not taken from officials. Day by day, online classes was becoming cumbersome to the students due to unavailability of basic essential necessities.

After viewing the same problems among the student section, and a cecity of Government and Department towards the problem of student section, even after getting a verbal assurance from highest officials, ASDSO was bound to take next steps to press the students demands. Therefore ASDSO decided to hold an online protest and declared 22nd June to 24th June 2020 as "All Sikkim protest days".
On 22nd and 23rd june 2020, ASDSO hold online demand Campaign, where students, Education loving people and people from all walks of life supported and participated in online demand campaign. There was 2 days online demand campaign and on 3rd day of All Sikkkim Protest days, I.e on 24th June 2020, ASDSO organised unit wise demonstration all over the state by maintaining social Distancing viewing covid-19 pandemic.

It has been almost 2 months, still there is no any response from the department and Government of Sikkim towards the same. Why the Department of Education and Government of Sikkim is turning a deaf ear towards the problems of students?


DEMANDS RAISED BY ASDSO FROM THE BEGINING.

1) Provide required material which is required for an online class such as Smart phones (To Needy).
2) Ensure regular flow of light in all the corners of State.
3) Ensure better internet connectivity in all the corners of state.
4) Provide Economic relief packages to the students who are residing in the rooms for the purpose of rent.
5) Government should subsidize private school Students.

ON RECENT VERDICT OF HON'BLE SUPREME COURT IN THE MATTER OF STUDENTS VS. UGC

Recently,hon'ble Supreme court have given its verdict in the matter of Students vs UGC saying, "students cannot be promoted without final year examinations, but states can approach UGC to postpone examinations because of COVID-19".
Likewise, Sikkim University has also releases the guidelines for conducting final year end semester exams(home exams).

In this situation of pandemic, most of the families are suffering from crisis of economy, their economic activities haven't revived yet, Therefore, it is not possible for such families who depends upon daily wage to manage smart phones for their children.

Will it be possible for all to attend an examination with several obstacles like Poor internet connectivity, Shortage of Smart phones and all?

In such situation how can a student manage to attend an online examination. Viewing the situation of pandemic and unavailability of required materials, state Government should immediately Start working towards providing the basic necessities to the students before conducting online examinations as per the previously made promises.
State government must ponder on this issue immediately and start working for the fulfillment of above raised demands before conducting examinations of final year students.

CONCLUSION.

The Government and Education department have failed to come up with a suitable solution of ongoing problems of Students even after giving assurance. Instead of viewing several problems in educational sector, the government is busy in allocating a huge funds for the construction of pilgrimage center and statue, in this situation of global pandemic.
At present Government is spending crores of amount for needless advisors and spokepersons. It seems that the Government is not willing to upgrade the condition of educational sector, The Government seems running out of it's responsibility at present with an excuse of covid-19 pandemic.

ASDSO, have taken all the possible steps keeping covid-19 pandemic situation in mind by following social Distancing. Till now, we approached almost 6-7 time and requested the Government to show seriousness towards problems of Students, but the Government didn't showed any seriousness toward the problems of students taking an advantage of pandemic situation.
Can't a Government allocate funds in the educational sector, which can spend a crores of amount for the construction of Pilgrimage center and statue in this situation of global pandemic?
A Government which spent crores of amount for needless advisors and spokepersons, can't it solve the problems of students by providing basic required materials for E- learning?
It's a gross negligence of Government and Department of Education in the educational sector to not to address the problems of students for such a long duration.

Government should immediately come up with the solution of above raised problems of students before conducting online examinations of final year students by 12th of September 2020 incessantly.

ASDSO, would like to bring it in your notice that, if Government fails to come out with a suitable solution according to the interest of students by 12th of September 2020 then, We will come up with a democratic step demanding fulfillment of above raised demands.

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