Mumbai: The final year exams for students across all courses continue to be a matter of debate as there are opposing views of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Maharashtra Government. While the latter is firm on not taking exams and evaluating students based on performance in the previous semesters, UGC feels that if the decision is passed, it will have an impact on the standards for higher education as well.
The statements from UGC is in response to a PIL issued by the State where it has decided on either passing students based on the average of graduate and post graduate students in the last semesters or, delay the exams due to the pandemic. This decision by the state came on June 19, 2020.
Dr. Nikhil Kumar, in UGCs affidavit dated July 23 has made it mandatory for universities to hold final year exams within September 2020 and the state’s decision post the guidelines issued by UGC on July 6 don’t adhere to them. In fact, the state government’s decision is in opposition to UGC guidelines and it feels that this is a matter that is going to have a direct effect on the higher standards and ‘will be an encroachment on legislative field of coordinating and determining standards of higher education which is exclusively reserved for Parliament”.
Since both UGC Act, as well as the Disaster Management Act, are special acts, UGC has said how it cannot take a decision in lieu of one by disregarding the other and how given the ongoing pandemic, UGC has already extended the time period for exams to be conducted until September. In addition, UGC has also allowed the Universities to conduct the exams however they please, be it online or offline or mixed mode.
UGC has allowed the universities the flexibility required which is in the best interests of students and also considering the academic future of students across the country and how non conduction of the final year exams might cause damage which is irreparable.
The PIL and pleas that are fighting against the exam will be heard on July 31 by a bench that will be headed by Chief Justice Dipankar Datta.
