SC Decision on UGC Guidelines LIVE Updates: Verdict on Final Year University Exams Today

SC Decision on UGC Guidelines LIVE Updates: The Supreme Court will on Friday pronounce the verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the University Grants Commission's (UGC) July 6 circular mandating to conduct the final term exams in all affiliated universities by the end of September amid the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan had reserved its verdict on the issue.

The bench had said it will also decide whether the states will have power under the Disaster Management Act to postpone the final examination till the COVID-19 situation normalises. The hearing was concluded on August 18.

Last week, the state governments of Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal and Odisha had urged the top court to direct the UGC to defer the final year examinations as the lives of lakhs of university students could be jeopardised due to the pandemic.

Here are live updates on the Supreme Court's Verdict on UGC Final Year Exams:

— One of the 31 petitioners, who has tested positive for coronavirus, sought for directions to the UGC to adopt the CBSE model and conduct an examination at a later date for the students who are not satisfied with the marks awarded on the basis of the assessment.

Petitioners Seek Cancellation of Exams | The students, in their petition, said the examinations should be cancelled and results of such students should either be calculated on the basis of their internal assessment or past performance.

— The UGC's July 6 circular was challenged by as many as 31 students from different universities across India who approached the Supreme Court to reject the guidelines mandating all universities in the country to wrap up the final term examinations before September 30.

— States have argued that the UGC exam guidelines interfere with their rights as health-related decisions lay within the powers of the state governments.

'Responses Received from 818 Varsities' | Out of the 818 universities, 603 have either conducted the examination or are planning to conduct. While 209 others have already conducted examination (on-line/off-line), 394 are planning to conduct examination (on-line/off-line/blended mode) in August or September.

Responses Received from 818 Universities, Said UGC | Earlier, the UGC had earlier said that universities were approached to get the status about the examinations and responses were received from 818 universities (121 deemed universities, 291 private universities, 51 central universities, and 355 state universities).

States Claim UGC Guidelines Finalised Without Consulting Them | The state governments of Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal and Odisha had last week urged the top court to direct the UGC to defer the final year examinations as the lives of lakhs of university students may be jeopardised due to the pandemic. The states said they were not consulted before finalising the UGC guidelines.

Hearing Concluded Last Week | On August 18, the Supreme Court concluded the hearing and reserved its order.

SC Verdict on UGC Final Year Exams Today | The Supreme Court will on Friday pronounce the verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the University Grants Commission's (UGC) July 6 circular mandating to conduct the final term exams in all affiliated universities by the end of September amid the coronavirus pandemic.