UGC secretary on final year exams: Special examination for students who'll miss it

Days after University Grant Commission (UGC) anunced that final year examinations for graduation and post-graduation courses will be conducted in September, UGC Secretary has told that  safety of students was its prime concern. Speaking to news ncy ANI, UGC Secretary Professor Rajnish Jain said that authorities are aware of COVID situation in country and hence have ordered examination for only terminal year.

This comes as parents, students, and various state governments have raised ir objection on safety and security of students after UGC decided to conduct examinations even as COVID cases are on rise. Jain furr stated that if in any case, students could t appear in examination n Universities will conduct special examination for those students. 

"We are conducting examination only for terminal semester or final year. Conducting final year examination of graduation or post-graduation is very important while safety and security of students is our prime concern. We have come to kw that some states anunced that examination will t be conducted but we have uniformity across nation and refore guidelines are to be adopted and UGC guidelines y should adopt and y should conduct examination for final year students." he said.

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Prof Jain also added: "At same time, we have to see that examination is an integral part of higher education system for any or education system. We are conducting examination only for terminal semester or final year students for Universities and colleges while maintaining safety security and all or protocol of governments. It was decided by union health ministry that all protocols are be followed and everything will be followed in place for long term interest of students so, refore, it is recommended that we should conduct final semester examination," he said.

As states oppose UGC's direction on final year exams,

READ | UGC Exam Guidelines should be advisory t mandatory says Maharashtra Education Minister

Political parties oppose move 

West Bengal's Principal Secretary of Department of Higher Education and School Education Department urged Centre to re-examine matter in interest of physical and mental well-being of students. Congress MP from Tamil Nadu Manickam Tagore also condemned decision.

Maharashtra minister of technical and higher education Uday Samant said that he has written to HRD Minister urging him to make UGC guidelines on conducting examinations as 'advisory' and t 'mandatory.' He has also said that it will t be possible to conduct final-year exams at universities by September-end amid surge in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra. 

READ | UGC allows final year exams to be held in September; issues fresh guidelines for colleges

UGC guidelines for exams

As Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) permitted universities to conduct examinations during Unlock period, University Grants Commission (UGC) issued revised guidelines for exams and academic calendar in view of Coronavirus pandemic. Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has confirmed that final year examinations will w be conducted in September.

READ | ' one except Maharashtra': BJP tells Uddhav govt to avoid politics over UGC's decision

(with ANI inputs)