31 students move Supreme Court seeking cancellation of final yr exams

New Delhi: In a petition filed before the Supreme Court, around 30 students from across the country, including a COVID-19-positive student, have challenged the University Grants Commission’s notification advising universities to conduct final-year examinations by the end of September 2020.

The petition argues that several family members of students are presently infected with the virus and that forcing them to appear for exams at this point would violate their right to life. It states:

“Forcing such students to appear in the final year University Examination on 30.09.2020, is flagrantly violative of their Right to Life, as enshrined within Article 21 of Constitution of India.”

Further, the petition mentions that although in normal circumstances, mark sheets and degree certificates are issued by 31 July, under the new UGC guidelines, exams can be conducted only by end of September.

While asserting that a delayed result will deprive final year students “from precious opportunities of getting admission in higher courses and/or getting jobs, which will be again violative of Article 14," the petition demands that students be considered at par with CBSE, ICSE & NIOS and that results be declared on the basis of internal assessment.

Additionally, Yuva Sena – Shiv Sena’s youth wing – has approached the Supreme Court asking that universities should be allowed to take a call on the conduct of final year exams, depending on the condition in their states. 

What do revised UGC Guidelines say?

On 6 July, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had said that the final-year university examinations may be conducted by the end of September, either online, offline or through a combination of both.

UGC also said that the final-year students who have a backlog should compulsorily be evaluated by conducting examinations in offline (pen & paper)/online/blended (online+offline) mode as per feasibility and suitability.

According to guidelines, in case a student is unable to write final-year exams, she can appear for a special examination at a later period, as and when feasible.

On the same day, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had allowed universities and other institution to conduct compulsory final-year examinations, as had been advised by the UGC.

Meanwhile, the University Grants Commission has said that around 195 universities across India have already conducted online or offline exams for final-year students, while around around 366 are planning to conduct exams in online, offline or a hybrid mode.

According to the commission, it had reached out to 945 universities registered with it to get an overview on the status of final-year examinations across the country.

Out of these, around 755 had responded to the commission. These include 120 deemed universities, 247 private universities, 40 central universities and 321 state universities.