Today, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified the Supreme Court that it has permitted colleges to perform “special examinations whenever possible” for students who are unable to report for the September term-end papers. Earlier in its regulations, the UGC had directed all universities to compulsorily to hold term-end (final year and semester) exams by September-end.
Many states had resisted the move, including Maharashtra and Delhi, and released a notification that state-run universities would not hold term-end special examinations. UGC claimed that the decision of states such as Maharashtra and Delhi to “cancel” exams “for UG / PG students and/or graduate” them “and grant degrees without appearing for the final year / terminal semester exams are directly contrary to the guidelines of UGC.”
“All universities or institutions obligated to conduct a terminal semester or final year exam by the end of September 2020”, UGC tells Supreme Court. It continued while apprising about the special examination to be carried as and when possible for students who can not oblige in September.
Despite resistance from many states’ students, scholars, and chief ministers, HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had already said previously in a twitter thread, “In any education model, assessment is one of the most important milestones. Performance in exams gives students self-confidence and satisfaction.” However, he also stated that special examinations will be held for students who may not be able to appear before September for exams.
A group of students, including one student affected by COVID, had submitted a petition against the SC’s guidelines in the Supreme Court. The pupils have requested that the final exams be cancelled because they believed it was against the “right to life.” The SC had urged UGC to provide a statement in the last hearing.
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