Student’s beset by evil, being blunt (8)
I believe the answer is:
baldness
'student's beset by evil being blunt' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.
'student's beset by evil being blunt' is the wordplay.
'student' becomes 'L' (as in L-plates for learner drivers).
'beset by' means one lot of letters goes inside another ('beset' could historically mean 'cover').
'evil' becomes 'bad' (associated in meaning).
'being blunt' becomes 'ness' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'l' placed inside 'bad' is 'bald'.
'bald'+'ness'='BALDNESS'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for baldness that I've seen before include "Lack of hair" , "honesty" , "Alopecia" , "Hairlessness" .)