The University Grants Commission (UGC) has pushed the dates to hold final year examinations from July to September for universities and colleges alike.
UGC recently sent letters to 40 universities across the country relating safety norms and guidelines. The letter also recommended following a blended approach in conducting exams through online and offline modes.
Check Here: UGC Details Exam Guidelines for 2020 Amid COVID-19 in India
The decisions, however, did not go well with universities and educationists. As per sources, faculty of Delhi University, Mumbai University, Jawaharlal Nehru University along with Sukhdeo Thorat, ex-Chairman, UGC have written to UGC.
Amid COVID-19, India is grappling with the pandemic situation. As positive cases compete with death tolls to raise bars, academic calendars also seem to face major delays.
The letter was written asking UGC to cancel university exams and promote students based on their previous academic record.
It was sent to DP Singh, UGC Chairman on 9 July duly signed by 27 teachers of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, DU, JNU, University of Hyderabad (UoH), Mumbai University and many others.
The letter written by the faculty of universities, reads, “The UGC’s latest advisory on examinations is unfortunate because it takes us backwards rather than forward.
It effectively extends the period for holding of exams (for final year/semester cohorts) until September, the second such postponement. And it creates fresh uncertainty for states that have already decided to cancel exams.”
It further states, “when faced with such an emergency, cancelling exams has two main advantages: First, it avoids the extended uncertainty created by repeated (but unavoidable) postponements.
Second, it protects the integrity of the examination by refusing to abandon its two most basic features – impartiality, or equal treatment of all examinees; and close supervision to prevent cheating.”
In real-time, most universities including Mumbai University lack proper online infrastructure. Even though the letter mentions the Open Book Exam (OBE), it also highlights how it is against the fundamentals of education.
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On the other hand, despite all of UGC’s latest reforms, the State Education Department of Maharashtra is firm on promoting its 3.9 lakh students including backlogs based on internal assessment only.
The decision is hanging by a thread, as of now, Maharashtra government has only cancelled final year exams. Mumbai University is yet to issue a final statement in this respect.
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