After much delay, the Union Home Ministry allowed universities and colleges to hold the pending exams across the country amid the COVID-19 restrictions. MHA also termed the final year exams as compulsory for students. It also asked varsities to hold them in accordance with UGC Guidelines.
The Home Ministry issued a letter to the Union Higher Education Secretary permitting universities and institutions to hold final year exams for the students. The letter from the Home Ministry comes amid news reports of the UGC panel not recommending cancellation of the pending Final Semester Exams 2020.
It provides much needed clarity to lakhs of students. In last week of June, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank asked the apex universities regulator to issue revised guidelines for holding of semester exams amid the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.
Also read: MHA releases circular for teachers to work from home
However, the announcement has also dashed the hopes and demands of several students who were seeking cancellation of the exams in the light of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases across the country.
As of now, a total of 7 states have decided to cancel pending semester exams in the light of worsening situation around COVID-19 pandemic. These include Maharashtra – one of the worst affected cases of COVID-19, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Haryana, Rajasthan and now Punjab.
Ministry of Home Affairs today permits conduct of examinations by Universities and Institutions: https://t.co/Dz0Bg3O4mo@AmitShah @HMOIndia @PIBHomeAffairs @HRDMinistry @DG_NTA @DrRPNishank @PIB_India
— MIB India 🇮🇳 #StayHome #StaySafe (@MIB_India) July 6, 2020
