UGC Says Final Year Exams Cannot Be Cancelled, SC Reserves Judgment On Petitions Challenging Exams

UGC Lates News: The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment on the student pleas challenging the July 6 UGC guidelines on final year university exams.

(Representative Image/ Getty)

UGC latest news: The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment for the petitions challenging the decision of the University Grants Commission (UGC)  to hold final year University exams. According to a report by ANI, a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan has reserved the judgment. The court has also said that it will also decide if states have the power to defer the final year exams. A report by Bar and Bench has said that the Supreme Court has asked all the parties to file written submissions, if any, within a period of 3 days. In the hearing today, 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. He also highlighted that many top-level universities are conducting online exams and that students who will apply to foreign universities will require degrees. "One thing I must emphasise is that the deadline was given for the benefit of the students. It is not a diktat. All universities have to start the admissions of postgraduate courses. The country is working. These students are 20/21 years old. Do you really think they re not stepping out? The report by ANI says that the Attorney General of Odisha, however, said that the present Covid 19 situation makes it impossible for exams to be held. He also said that it will be challenging for hostels to accommodate students as colleges have been closed since March. In the last hearing held on August 14, Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava appeared for students seeking to cancel the exam. According to a report by Bar and Bench, in the hearing, questions were raised about the impact of UGC's decision on the health of the students. the problems of transportation and the feasibility of the exams since many students have gone back to their homes due to the pandemic were also raised. The UGC had in an earlier hearing maintained that it has no intention of changing its decision and has advised that students continue their preparation for the final year exams. The academic body had also questioned the decision of Maharashtra and Delhi to cancel the final year exams and said the decision by both the states is contradictory especially when the process of admissions for the new academic session is impending. Recently the High Court of Himachal Pradesh stayed the UGC examination until the orders of the Supreme Court of India are pronounced in the matter.