UGC Exam Guidelines Case: Students Wait Anxiously As Date Of Supreme Court Final Verdict Nears

The Supreme Court is soon likely to give the final verdict ongoing hearing of petitions challenging the UGC guidelines for final year university exams.

Representational Image: PTI

UGC Guidelines Updates: The wait for clarity on final year university exams may end soon as a decision on the UGC Guidelines from the Supreme Court is likely to come soon. According to media reports, the Supreme Court is likely to give its decision on Wednesday, August 26th, 2020. Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava also indicated the possible date in a tweet he shared on Monday. In the last hearing held on August 18, 2020, the court reserved its verdict while giving all the parties three days-time to present their final arguments.

Dear #UGC Final Year friends,

-Today Supreme Court has NOT pronounced Final Order in our Case -As concerned Bench is not sitting tomorrow, now the Order is likely to come on Wednesday (26th) -We are trying to send our request to Hon’ble Court for early Order Will update again — Alakh Alok Srivastava (@advocate_alakh) August 24, 2020

On July 6, the UGC had issued guidelines that stated it was mandatory for Universities to conduct the final year exams using any– pen and paper, online, or a combination of both by September 30th 2020. Soon after multiple petitions were filed against the decision which included a plea filed by 31 students from different states and by Maharashtra's Yuva Sena. The SC has been hearing the case since July 31, after the Court issued a notice to the UGC over the batch of pleas that challenged its decision on July 27, the hearing on the matter commenced on July 31. During the hearing, the UGC submitted a 50-page affidavit responding to different petitions saying that the decision will not be changed as it was based on the assessment by an expert panel. A rejoinder to the UGC reply was filed by advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava that said that the UGC had failed to take into account the worsening Covid 19 situation in the country and 'non-availability of free air/rail/bus/other transport movements in many parts of the country'. On August 10, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta representing the UGC said in the court that it's not in the interest of students to not hold exams. In the hearing on August 14 arguments were made in support of the cancellation of exams and questions were about the impact of UGC's decision on the health of the students. In the last hearing held on August 18th, students anticipated that the court will provide clarity on this hearing. But the Supreme Court reserved its judgment. In the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta who was appearing on behalf of the UGC, said that since the final year is a degree year the exams cannot be cancelled. With rapidly rising coronavirus cases, students across the country have been demanding postponement of various exams such as the NEET, JEE and even UPSC Prelims. Even though authorities have assured that student safety is the priority and that stringent Covid 19 protocols will be followed in exam centres, most students remain apprehensive.