Students to get degrees without the mention of COVID-19: Uday Samant

On Thursday, September 17, Uday Samant, Minister of State for Higher and Technical Education stated that the final-year students are to receive their degree certificates with no mention of the coronavirus.

A review meeting was held under the chairmanship of Uday Samant regarding the final-year examinations. University Vice-Chancellor Shashikala Vanjari, professors and other staff members were present on the occasion.

Samant further added that Mumbai University, which has the highest number of final-year students will make all efforts to ensure that no student is left out of the process of examinations. Moreover, students who have not filled their examination forms have been given a three-day extension.

Following the guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC), the university has prepared for the examinations of final year students. The examination process will be carried out keeping in mind the health of the students in view the outbreak of the coronavirus. However, there will be no mention of COVID-19 on the degree certificate of the students. Like last year, degree certificate will be given this year too without any changes in it.

Two months ago, after strong criticism from the opposition, Agriculture Minister Dadaji Bhuse had sent a letter to the Director-General of the Maharashtra Council of Agricultural Education and Research and the Vice-Chancellors of all the agricultural universities ordering an inquiry as COVID-19 had been mentioned on the marks of the students of the Agricultural University even though there was no government order to do so. The Agriculture Minister in his letter stated that action should be taken against those who ordered such a move further adding that a report should be submitted to the government regarding the same.

As per the UGC guidelines, the state government has decided to conduct the examination in the first week of October and the results are touted to come out in the last week of October. However, most of the universities are focusing on taking the examinations online.