Final year exams have been pending since March due to Coronavirus lockdown and students have been hanging between exams and job search since then, waiting for the final verdict to be given. Students should not think that exams will be postponed again or cancelled because of the ongoing Supreme Court hearing, says UGC on Friday.
Mr Singhvi’s Take On Online Exams
Mr Abhishek Singhvi argued today that UGC’s guidelines on conducting online examinations were arbitrary. He further mentioned that for many of the universities lacking proper IT infrastructure, it’s not to uniformly conduct online exams.
He further stated that “Online exams is problematic. If someone cannot appear and is given a later option. It will create chaos”, to which to court replied, “But it is for the benefit of the students..” Mr Singhvi argued that “Heavens will not fall if exams are cancelled.”
The court then asked the Maharashtra government, which has cancelled final year exams for state-run colleges to place on record decisions taken by the state’s disaster management committee.
Mr Aaditya Thackeray presented a petition which claimed that UGC was ignoring the physical and mental health and safety of the students by insisting for exams to be held.
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Students Are Still Confused
The court also asked the Home Ministry to make it stands clear. The centre said it would reply by Monday but clearly stressed upon the fact that students should not stop preparing for their exams.
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta said “By Monday we will but nobody should be under the impression that they cannot prepare. Students should prepare for the exams.
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Cancelling Exams Will Impact Standards
UGC has been criticized for holding final year exams despite the surge in COVID 19 cases across the country. It states that the decisions were not arbitrary and that cancelling exams will impact the standards. A special chance will be given to those students unable to appear for exams, UGC further adds.
Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and MR Shah heard the case today via video conference.
