168 universities uncertain about final year exams, shows UGC data

At least 168 universities are either unwilling or uncertain to conduct the mandatory final year or final semester exams, outlines the information submitted to the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The apex education regulator, that functions under the Union human resources development (HRD) ministry, had sought a response from the universities on the status of exam schedule, after it issued revised guidelines on conduct of exams on 6 July.

A total of 755 universities furnished their response, of which 274 were private universities, 40 central, 321 state-run and 120 deemed universities. Of these, 560 universities have either conducted or are planning to conduct the exam. Besides, the first batches of 27 new private universities, that came up last year, are yet to become eligible for final exams.

This effectively means 587 varsities have shown a favourable response for the mandatory final year, and final semester exams, leaving 168 universities unwilling or uncertain about conducting the exam as of now.

At least six states and Union territories including Delhi, Punjab and West Bengal have expressed their inability to conduct the final year, final semester exam as mandated by the UGC. Some of the state chief ministers have even written letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and cancel the end semester or final year exams



at undergraduate and postgraduate levels as mandated by UGC on 6 July.

“Out of the 755 Universities, 560 Universities have either conducted the examination or are planning to conduct. 194 have already conducted examination (on-line/off-line); 366 are planning to conduct examination (on-line/off-line/blended mode) in August/September," UGC said in a statement.

"Assessments are a fundamental piece of the training framework and is a measure understudies' learning, information, abilities and different capabilities. The presentation in assessments adds to justify, long lasting validity, more extensive worldwide worthiness for affirmations, grants, grants, situations, and better future possibilities," the instruction controller said. 

An enormous number of top colleges over the world including US, UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and different nations, have led or are leading assessments by giving different choices, for example, on the web, disconnected, mixed or other elective types of assessments.

“…the Universities were required to chart out a plan for completion of terminal semester/ final year examinations by the end of September, 2020 in offline (pen & paper)/ online/ blended (online+offline) mode following the prescribed protocols/guidelines related to covid-19 pandemic," UGC said in its statement.