The Supreme Court on July 27, sought a response from the University Grants Commission (UGC) with regards to a batch of petitions seeking cancellation of final-year examinations in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.
The petitioners have also asked for the repealing of the guidelines which had been issued by the UGC on July 6 with regards to the final-year exams. Moreover, students across India, who have tested positive for the coronavirus, have challenged the directive to colleges and universities.
An apex court bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan heard the case through video conferencing and will hear the case next on 31 July. Tushar Mehta, Solicitor general, representing the education regulator of the country, submitted before the court that the response will be filed by 29 July.
The UGC had earlier announced that all final-year examinations must be conducted by the month of September. These examinations are to be conducted in online/offline or blended (online plus offline) mode. Terminal semester students who were to be assessed through examinations in the month of July will now have their examinations conducted by the end of September 2020. At the same time, intermediate semester students will be assessed on the basis of internal assessment.
A letter had also been written by the Union Home Ministry to the Department of Higher Education in this regard. This letter states that all the examinations coming under the university should be taken. This letter was written by the Union Home Ministry to the Department of Higher Education. It is written in the letter that examinations will be conducted as per the guidelines of UGC, following the instructions of the Ministry of Health.
Meanwhile, Aaditya Thackeray, Shiv Sena MLA, had moved the Supreme Court on July 18, against the decision of the centre to hold final year exams for colleges and universities in September. The petition has been filed by the Yuva Sena, which is the youth wing of the ruling Shiv Sena and is led by Aaditya Thackeray.
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