'Academic excellence can't be judged by 1 exam': Aaditya Thackeray on SC plea against UGC

Highlighting Maharashtra Yuva Sena's writ petition in Supreme Court against holding exams for final year exams, Cabinet Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday said that petition is for each and every student across country 'being forced' to appear for an examination. Leader of Shiv Sena's Youth Wing, Thackeray also stated that it believes that academic excellence cant be judged by one examination. He also termed UGC's guidelines mandating term-end exams as a 'bizarre judgement' of situation. 

"We believe that academic excellence can’t be judged by 1 examination and for academic excellence, we must calculate aggregate marks of past semesters. Beyond which, if students still feel need to appear for an examination, y voluntarily may do so post covid," Thackeray tweeted after petition was filed on Saturday. 

READ | Aaditya Thackeray Moves SC Against UGC's Decision To Hold Final Year Exams Amid COVID-19

Yuva Sena moves SC

Centre was "igring physical and mental health, anxiety and safety of students across country" in allowing examinations to be held, Yuva Sena said in its statement. University Grants Commission (UGC) has failed to understand dilemma of situation, it furr said. youth wing ted that challenges in conducting exams included risk of COVID-19 transmission as students and exam invigilators travel to and from exam centres.

READ | Exams During Covid: 177 Universities Yet To Decide On Conducting Examinations, Says UGC

Yuva Sena demanded students to be promoted based on aggregate of marks scored so far in ir academic year. Maharashtra government earlier said that students looking to improve on se avers could appear for exams, but only when se can be conducted safely.

Opposition against revised guidelines

After anuncement, parents, students, and various state governments raised ir objection over safety and security of students during exams given to fact that COVID-19 cases continue to mount in country. Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also slammed UGC for planning to conduct final term examinations amid COVID-19 pandemic, calling move “unfair”. Gandhi demanded cancellation of exams and suggested that students should be promoted on basis of past performance.

Several Chief Ministers including Arvind Kejriwal, Capt Amarinder Singh and Mamata Banerjee have expressed concern over conducting exams in present environment and urged HRD Ministry to roll back its order.

READ | Ex-UGC Chief Demands Cancellation Of Final Year Exams

READ | HRD To Meet State Education Secretaries To Resolve Differences Over Final Year Exams