UGC News: Supreme Court resumes hearing on UGC’s stand to conduct final year exams

The Supreme Court is resuming the hearing of UGC’s stand to conduct all final year exams either online or offline across multiple varsities in the country. The hearing’s final verdict would be out soon. Several pleas have been filed from varsities, student associations and select parents against the University Grants Commission’s stand on the conducting of exams.

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UGC final year exams row continues 

This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the UGC had suggested alternate ways to conduct either online exams or conduct the exams in a social-distancing suitable manner, following protocols set by the government. However many varsities in metropolitan cities like Mumbai have been unable to conduct the exams due to the alarming number of cases. The UGC will give its stand on the matter today during the ongoing hearing. On the other side is the student bodies of Law students, Yuva Sena and other groups who have filed pleas to not conduct the exams.

UGC news to know 

The National Disaster Management Act applies to everything in and around the district according to Abhishek Singhvi, a member of parliament. He is of the opinion that as per the stand of Ministry of Home Affairs, the institutions of the state under health threat were kept closed for a period of five months and in these circumstances, exams cannot be conducted without the formal teaching.

Also Read | UGC Exam Guidelines Should Be Advisory Not Mandatory Says Maharashtra Education Minister

However, UGC has been firm on the opinion that Universities were given time to prepare for an online mode, even when classroom teaching was not possible. All of the subjects that were left to be taught were urged to be taught online as per the official notifications revealed in April buy the UGC.  A notification dated in May also gave brief guidelines on conducting exams, online or offline or even Open Book Examinations as per UGC.

Also Read | UGC Guidelines 2020: Delhi HC Allows Student To Withdraw Plea Amidst Pending SC Decision

UGC is also of the opinion that the final year students cannot be granted degrees without the exams being conducted as it is a severe violation of the principals set by the state. Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava who is speaking in the favour of the students took to Twitter and expressed his take on the case.

Here is the tweet of the advocate regarding UGC 2020: 

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