Cannot award degree’s without final year exams says SC

The Supreme Court has also approved the guidelines of the UGC regarding the final year examinations of undergraduate courses in colleges and universities across the country. The Supreme Court has said that states cannot cancel the exam without the permission of the UGC. Students cannot pass without conducting final year examinations. States will have to conduct the exam by 30 September. The court said that the states which are not willing to take the final year examination by 30 September, they will have to inform the UGC. The apex court in its judgment upheld the UGC’s July 6 circular, stating that under the Disaster Management Act, states can postpone the examination keeping in view the pandemic but they will have to set new dates in consultation with the UGC.

Significantly, on July 6, the UGC had directed universities across the country to conduct final year examinations by 30 September. It had said that if the examinations were not held, the future of the students would be in danger. The guidelines of the UGC were challenged in the Supreme Court by many students and organizations across the country. It was said in the petitions that conducting examinations in the midst of Covid-19 pandemic is not good for the safety of students. The UGC should cancel the examinations and declare the results based on the students’ past performance and internal evaluation.

The Supreme Court reserved its verdict after completing the hearing on 18 August on petitions challenging the UGC’s instructions to conduct final year examinations by 30 September.

Earlier, the UGC had told the apex court that there was no decree issued on July 6 for universities and colleges to conduct final year examinations between the Covid-19 epidemic by September 30, but without conducting the  examinations degree cannot be provided to the students. The UGC had told the court that the directive is for the “benefit of the students” as universities have to start admissions for postgraduate courses and state authorities cannot ignore the UGC guidelines.

– The Supreme Court said that the states which are not willing to take the final year examination by 30 September, they will have to inform the UGC.

– The Supreme Court said that to promote the students, the states will have to take exams compulsorily. The court said that under the Disaster Management Act, states can postpone the examination keeping in view the pandemic and set new dates in consultation with the UGC.

– Supreme Court dismisses the petition against the examination. Said – According to the guidelines of the UGC, the exam will be done.

– On July 6, the UGC directed universities across the country to conduct final year examinations by September 30. It had said that if the examinations were not held, the future of the students would be in danger. The guidelines of the UGC were challenged in the Supreme Court by many students and organizations across the country. It was said in the petitions that conducting examinations in the midst the Covid-19 epidemic is not good for the safety of the students. The UGC should cancel the examinations and declare the results based on the students’ past performance and internal evaluation. Among those who filed a petition in the apex court regarding this subject, the Yuva Sena is the youth wing of the Shiv Sena. It has questioned the UGC’s directive to conduct examinations during the pandemic.

– Some states including Delhi, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh have canceled university examinations including final year exams. However the UGC maintains that the degree cannot be awarded to the graduating students without conducting the final year examinations.

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, appearing in the Supreme Court on behalf of the UGC and the Central Government, said on August 8 that the state governments cannot cancel the examinations. This power is with the UGC.