Change is constant. We all have heard this statement from our parents, friends, teachers, colleagues, and almost every other person we know. But since the pandemic hit us, change is all we are witnessing. Since the Supreme Court of India dismissed the plea to postpone JEE, NEET 2020 examinations, most of the students and their parents are worried about the upcoming final exams or other entrance exams. Following this, other entrance tests like the DUET (Delhi University Entrance Test) 2020 are also in the process of being administered. This now makes it almost certain that the remaining examinations will also be conducted. For most of us, taking the exams seems like the only solution to not lose out on the ongoing academic year. The only thing in our hands, right now, is to take certain precautions.
Here are a few tips one can follow while taking the exams.
Wear a mask : You have to always wear a mask. Even if you are stepping out of the house to receive your parcel from Amazon. And especially if you are going to appear for an exam. The school/examination authorities might have their own protocol to distribute fresh masks to
the invigilators and the examinees. You still have to carry your own masks (disposable, preferably, because you might have to dispose of the ones you are wearing be- fore receiving the new ones) until you are provided with new ones.
Carry a sanitizer: Since you will be going inside a facility to appear for the exam, there is a possibility of coming in contact with an object or even an individual. It is now mandatory to educate yourself and your family members (especially children) to use a pea-sized amount of the sanitizer every 15-20 minutes. This technique should also be used while appearing for the exam because the question paper or the answer sheet/ booklet provided is touched, you never know, by whom.
Carry a surface disinfectant spray: This is an optional step but a very easy and useful one. A lot of companies like Dettol and Savlon have come out with surface disinfectants that are avail- able in pocket-friendly spray bottle forms. These sprays can be used to sanitize question papers, answer sheets/ booklets, tables, chairs, etc. in an instant. They are easy to use and child friendly.
Carry your own clean water bottle: It is suggested to not consume water in the exam halls because the glasses could have germs. Since the virus is transferable by touching by the hands and mouth, those glasses of water can be perfect hosts for transferring the virus. It will be rather safer for you and others to carry your own water bottles.
Wear comfortable clothes and tie your hair: Exams can make you anxious and fidgety. This might, for a few examinees, result in situations where they tend to perspire. If you are wearing clothes that are either too tight or too loose, you might unconsciously keep adjusting what you are wearing.
This will again lead to a lot of contact with either other- examinee’s bench or other surface areas that might not be sanitized. The same goes for how you tie your hair. If your hair is tied too tight, it might give you a headache. If your hair is loose or open, it might keep irritating your face. This will lead you to again keep touching your hair and face leading to the transfer of the virus. To avoid all of this touching, it is recommended that you wear clothes that you feel comfortable in and wear your hair in a way that does not cause you to touch your face.
Do not touch your face: As discussed above, avoid any urge to touch your face and minimize any possibility that might cause you to reach out and touch your own face and/or parts around your face. It has been observed that a human being touches their face around 23 times per hour that is 2,000 to 3,000 times a day, 3-5 times a minute. This is why the major cause of the virus spreading is people touching their faces almost all the time. So, do not let your hands come in contact with your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Bathe as soon as you get home: Now, as soon as the exam is over and you get out of the examination facility, the first thing you should do is get home with zero contact thereafter. As soon as you are home, dump your masks and clothes in the washing machine or a bucket of soap- Dettol water and get to bathing. Researchers and Doctors have made it pretty clear that washing your hands and body with soap, for a minimum of 20 seconds, kills the virus causing germs. So, it becomes mandatory to bathe (from head to toe with soap), as soon as you get home, to rid yourself off of any germs inducing virus that you or your child might have accidentally picked up.
The author is the principal of Jindal Public School, Delhi.