Supreme Court hearing on UGC guidelines for holding final year exams: Check latest updates here
The UGC had filed an affidavit in the apex court and justified its decision directing all universities and institutions to hold final year/semester examinations in September saying it was done to protect the academic future of students across the country.
Highlights
- UGC had questioned the decisions of Delhi and Maharashtra to cancel final year exams
- 'Only UGC is empowered to prescribe rules for conferring degree'
- UGC justified its decision to hold final year/semester examinations in September
Image is used for representational purpose only. NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) had in the Supreme Court questioned the decisions of Delhi and Maharashtra governments to cancel final year exams of state universities amid the Covid-19 pandemic, saying they were against the rules.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had told a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan that states cannot change the rules of the UGC as only it is empowered to prescribe rules for conferring degree.
Mehta argued that not conducting exams will not be in the interest of students and degrees may not be recognized if the states would act unilaterally.
The apex court was hearing a batch of pleas which have challenged the July 6 directive to all the universities and colleges to conduct final year examinations by September 30 amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the hearing conducted through video-conferencing, Mehta informed the bench about the decisions of Delhi and Maharashtra to cancel final year exams of state universities.
He said that the UGC would file its response on the affidavits filed by Maharashtra and Delhi in the matter.
The bench granted time to the UGC to file response and posted the matter for further hearing on August 14.
The UGC has told the Supreme Court that final examination is a “crucial step” in the academic career of a student and the state government cannot say that its July 6 directive, asking universities and colleges to conduct final year examinations by September 30 amid the Covid-19 pandemic, was “not binding”.
It said the guidelines provides sufficient flexibility to the universities or institutions for conducting the final year or terminal semester examinations and it had duly consulted the stakeholders before issuing it.
Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, appearing for some of the petitioners, had claimed that the July 6 guideline for holding exams are neither legal or constitutionally valid.
The UGC, in its affidavit filed through advocate Apoorv Kurup, said Maharashtra could not fall back on the DM Act to encroach into a domain exclusively reserved for the commission. "The State Disaster Management Authority's June 18 decision not to hold last year final semester examination of both professional and non-professional courses and the consequent government resolution dated June 19 as well as the state authority's July 13 decision reiterating non-holding of examination, are in violation of the UGC's April 29 and July 6 guidelines, which must be followed by universities/institutions and, as such, are void ab initio," the commission said.
The UGC emphasised the need to conduct terminal or final examinations, saying it was a crucial step in the academic career of a student. "Therefore, the UGC has issued such guidelines to protect the academic future of students across the country which will be irreparably damaged if their final year/terminal semester examinations are not held, while also keeping in mind their health and safety," it said.
Maharashtra could not cite developments "at the grassroots level" to nullify/override UGC's guidelines, and allow students to graduate without appearing for final examinations, it added.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had told a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan that states cannot change the rules of the UGC as only it is empowered to prescribe rules for conferring degree.
Mehta argued that not conducting exams will not be in the interest of students and degrees may not be recognized if the states would act unilaterally.
The apex court was hearing a batch of pleas which have challenged the July 6 directive to all the universities and colleges to conduct final year examinations by September 30 amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the hearing conducted through video-conferencing, Mehta informed the bench about the decisions of Delhi and Maharashtra to cancel final year exams of state universities.
He said that the UGC would file its response on the affidavits filed by Maharashtra and Delhi in the matter.
The bench granted time to the UGC to file response and posted the matter for further hearing on August 14.
The UGC has told the Supreme Court that final examination is a “crucial step” in the academic career of a student and the state government cannot say that its July 6 directive, asking universities and colleges to conduct final year examinations by September 30 amid the Covid-19 pandemic, was “not binding”.
It said the guidelines provides sufficient flexibility to the universities or institutions for conducting the final year or terminal semester examinations and it had duly consulted the stakeholders before issuing it.
Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, appearing for some of the petitioners, had claimed that the July 6 guideline for holding exams are neither legal or constitutionally valid.
The UGC, in its affidavit filed through advocate Apoorv Kurup, said Maharashtra could not fall back on the DM Act to encroach into a domain exclusively reserved for the commission. "The State Disaster Management Authority's June 18 decision not to hold last year final semester examination of both professional and non-professional courses and the consequent government resolution dated June 19 as well as the state authority's July 13 decision reiterating non-holding of examination, are in violation of the UGC's April 29 and July 6 guidelines, which must be followed by universities/institutions and, as such, are void ab initio," the commission said.
The UGC emphasised the need to conduct terminal or final examinations, saying it was a crucial step in the academic career of a student. "Therefore, the UGC has issued such guidelines to protect the academic future of students across the country which will be irreparably damaged if their final year/terminal semester examinations are not held, while also keeping in mind their health and safety," it said.
Maharashtra could not cite developments "at the grassroots level" to nullify/override UGC's guidelines, and allow students to graduate without appearing for final examinations, it added.
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