The University Grants Commission’s (UGC) recent guidelines for mandatory conduct of examinations either online, offline or both for the final year students within September has created hue and cry in the country. The UGC in a notification on April 29 mentioned that the guidelines are advisory in nature and each State or university would chalk out its own plan of action taking into consideration the Covid-19 situation. Accordingly, many States like Punjab, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Odisha cancelled their college and university examinations because of exponentially rising cases of Covid-19. As the problem of conducting examination is over, they concentrated on the evaluation work and online classes for the intermediate semester classes. Now, they are in trouble as the UGC has asked the universities and colleges to conduct final year examinations within September. The guidelines are mandatory for all higher educational institutions. The UGC informed the State Governments to reconsider their decision and hold examination in the best interest of students. It said the States cannot take decisions on their own as they are legally bound to follow its guidelines.
The Madhya Pradesh Government, which cancelled the examination, has now announced its willingness to conduct it. On the other hand, the Delhi Government declared its examination cancelled even after the announcement of the revised guidelines by the UGC. The Himachal Pradesh Government decided to hold the examination in August. Karnataka also notified that it would complete the examination by September. All this is leading to confusion and the worst sufferers are the students.
On July 6, the UGC issued revised the guidelines for conducting the examination by the end of September. It justified its action citing that the connectivity of academic capability and career opportunities of students with examination. It opined that the certificate without examination may not have due weightage and the students would face problems in the long run.
Students’ Unions and State Governments urged the UGC to revise its guidelines of completing the examination by September in offline or online or a combined mode. They requested the commission for formulating alternative methods for evaluation of end-semester students. Many opposition parties also criticised the UGC’s mandate to conduct a homogeneous national pattern of online/open book examination by September-end. It cited the poor internet connectivity in the country which is accessible by only 36% of population. Access to online classes or examinations does not available for a vast majority of the people.
The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) also expressed its dissatisfaction over the UGC mandate saying it is against students’ interests. The India Wide Parents’ Association (IWPA) is planning to file a PIL in the Supreme Court against the guidelines. The Odisha Government also tweeted that it has requested the MHRD to allow it to adhere to its decision of cancellation of examinations.
Meanwhile, the UGC collected information about the status of conduct of examination from the higher educational institutions across the country and revealed the responses of 640 universities including 120 deemed ones, 299 private universities, 40 Central universities and 251 State universities. Of these 640 universities, 182 have already conducted the examination; 234 are planning to hold it before September; and 38 are planning to conduct it as per the direction of relevant statutory council. A total of 177 universities are yet to decide their courses of action. The UGC is justifying its action basing on the data collected; and if confident, the other universities will too implement the guidelines.
Amid this confusion, the Yuva Sena, the youth wing of Shiv Sena, has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging the UGC’s decision to conduct the examination within September. Now, everyone is looking forward to the apex court’s direction with the hope of one in their favour.
(Dr Biswal is Head, Department of Commerce, Nowrangpur College, Nabarangpur, Odisha. Mob: 9437125286. bhaskarnathbiswal@gmail.com)
