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Final-year students should be marked on aggregates and government should cancel their exams: Yuva Sena

In a conversation with Mumbai Live, Yuva Sena Secretary said that Maharashtra government should appeal to the UGC to cancel university examinations for final-year students. They will ask Uday Samant to write to the UGC regarding this

Final-year students should be marked on aggregates and government should cancel their exams: Yuva Sena
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As per the recent announcement, Maharashtra Minister of Higher and Technical Education announced that the university examinations for final-year students will be conducted in July. While the decision to cancel first and second-year student exams sent a positive message amongst the student community, final-year students expressed their concerns, as the government made this announcement. Samant stated that the exams will be held in July 2020, but if the decision will be reviewed again, if needed, after June 2020, keeping the coronavirus crisis in mind. 

However, as per recent updates, it is said that the Mumbai University officials will soon examination schedule for final year students, and a meeting was held recently with all heads of departments and principals to understand the way forward for the same. More information about admissions of the new academic year will be announced too. 

Stand alongside students, thereby supporting them in this decision to cancel exams, is Shiv Sena's youth wing, Yuva Sena, who wrote to the UGC demanding cancellation of examinations. The letter was sent by Yuva Sena Secretary, Varun Sardesai, on the same day, Samant made the announcement.

Talking about the development in this matter, Varun in a conversation with Mumbai Live said, "As per recent announcements, Uday Samant has said that the team will wait until June 20, 2020. However, looking at the rising number of cases and considering the fact that the lockdown may get extended, there is a rising demand in the student fraternity for the examinations to be cancelled at the earliest. We will wait till June 20, if not we are considering meeting Uday Samant, and convey the feelings of the students. We will ask him to write to the UGC in a formal manner, as the Maharashtra government should appeal to the UGC to cancel the exams. If the lockdown gets extended till May 31, 2020, this will be done immediately, as the solution to be provided to the students." 

On being asked if the final year students could also be given grades as per the guidelines set for first and second-year students, he said, "Of course. We have already cancelled the exams of first and second-year students, and whatever basis officials are using, be it internal marks or aggregates based on UGC guidelines, the same logic can be used for final year students. There is a precedence in place and they have to just follow it. I understand that UGC is concerned as the final-year exams decide their career ahead. It is the most important certificate. So though it is completely valid, UGC should understand what the students are going through."

Sharing his concerns regarding the examinations, he added, "Keeping the perspective of students in the current scenario, no one is in a mindset to study well. We are surrounded by news that concerns us, and we can't expect them to prepare properly and I think it is unfair on our part to expect them to go give exams when everything around is closed. We have already had a word with the Agricultural Minister and are planning to write to the Medical Education Minister because students from these divisions have also raised similar concerns. We spoke to Aaditya Thackeray and he is also of the same opinion. Only after the core committee at Yuva Sena had a discussion, we spoke to Uday Samant, after which the letter was written to the UGC from our end."

Concluding the conversation by sharing how this will benefit students and their plans ahead, Varun said, "There are a lot of students who are applying for their masters and jobs, and so we have also requested to the university to start processing the transcripts and certificates, with the help of a minimum staff. The good aspect is that the transcripts can be made available online, so one doesn't have to step out to collect them, and the manpower used is reduced. This will help them continue with their applications. I understand that the team will meet on Monday, May 18, 2020, to discuss the same."

Students have also filed an online petition with an aim to request the government to cancel exams. Demands have been raised asking CM Uddhav Thackeray-led government to take action. Until now, 34,000 students have signed the petition.

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