Everything ranging from economy to college farewells has been disheartening in this nation-wide lockdown because of the pandemic. Graduating students of the batch of 2020 have been disheartening the most with their final exams shelved to a yet-unknown date, rescinded job offers or deferred joining date, and so on.

The students of the corona batch are in utter dismay and are filled with nothing but uncertainty about their future.

The worldwide pandemic has destroyed everything, leaving behind anxiety and disbelief in the lives of the batch of 2020. Perhaps the students of 2020 can be regarded as the most unlucky batch ever. The students did not even get the chance to enjoy their farewell party, graduation ceremony, or click their last group photographs.

Some examples of the crises at hand for the students graduating this year:

• Aspirations in the dark

Every student dreams of dressing in their graduation robes and walking across the stage to collect their degrees from the reputed Chief Guest or Dean of the college. In fact, the graduating ceremony is the most incredible event of everyone’s life with mesmerizing memories.

But this would remain a dream for thousands of students, like 21-year-old Vedhavalli Srinivasan, which would never come true. She is the first-generation graduate in her family and dreamed of seeing her parents sitting in the ceremony ground with dignity and happiness.

Generally, the graduation ceremony takes place in February, but it got extended due to some unforeseeable reasons, and then the lockdown was imposed. This resulted in the cancellation of the graduation ceremony. Moreover, the students were asked to collect the certificates from the college, said Vedhavalli.

She shared that she was quite shocked to hear all these things: getting a degree in front of everyone was not just the result of her efforts, but her parents struggle as well. Currently, she is pursuing an MBA through Distance Learning Programme. She is also anxious about job offers as well as many companies have frozen their hiring.

• Trapped in a rectangle

Students like Pranav Devaraj, engineering graduate, were waiting eagerly for the big day and were making preparations, deciding the clothes and fixing venues for the party with friends. But to his amazement, he was not aware that he would be mellowed with a virtual celebration from his Brooklyn residence only.

Currently, he is studying abroad and also shared why he chose to study abroad instead of pursuing education from India itself. But he was having mixed emotions while attending a virtual graduation ceremony.

He was happy that instead of getting nothing, he got the chance to participate in the ceremony, although it was online. But he is worried about the future and job opportunities as everything is at stake due to current exceptional circumstances.

• Degree fiasco

Like Pranav, Saishashank Balaji, an engineering student at Centrale Nantes, France, shared his concerns. He said the general exams and theses are completed by August, and in December, the students enjoy their graduation ceremony.

But due to Covid-19, the academic year has been extended till December, and no information is given about the graduation ceremony. Moreover, if anyhow, the ceremony would be conducted, it would be virtual instead of in a hall with pomp and delight.

He also shared that he had missed his under graduation ceremony as he had to move to France to enrol in the University. Now, seeing the adverse effect of Covid-19, he might not get the chance to have a Post-graduation ceremony as well.

He further added that every student works hard day and night for that incredible moment to get his/her degree certificate in hand. But now, all those precious moments are taken away.

Apart from this, job opportunities have shrunk to a great extend in European countries. Earlier, any job opening lasts for two weeks, but now the openings are closed within two days. Moreover, the employers are looking for experienced candidates instead of hiring freshers, making the future bleak for upcoming fresh talent.

In this way, students all over the world are panicked about their future, current EMIs, no job offers, and so on because of the impending doom that is the pandemic. 

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Source – The New Indian Express.