Delhi govt cancels final exams for state universities
New Delhi: The Delhi government on Saturday announced that it had decided to cancel all forthcoming semester and final exams of universities under it in light of the pandemic. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said during a press conference that "extraordinary times" require "extraordinary measures".
The Education minister also clarified that this decision would not apply to Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and other Central universities in the Capital. The Delhi government has jurisdiction over National Law University, Delhi Technological University, Ambedkar University, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Netaji Subhas University of Technology and Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to intervene and direct the UGC and the HRD Ministry to follow suit and end the uncertainty and anxiety of students. He said it was "for the sake of our youth".
Sisodia said these state universities have been asked to promote their students and award them degrees adopting a "progressive method of evaluation". "We have asked the universities to cancel final year exams and come out with some formula of evaluation for awarding degrees," Sisodia said.
"The issue was complex since no studies or any other academic activities took place in the semester. It was not possible to hold exams without any studies. So we have asked universities to cancel exams and promote students to next semester on the basis of past results or some other progressive method of evaluation," he said, adding that providing degrees to students for jobs and future academic pursuits were necessary.
"A lot of people might have even secured jobs and cracked interviews for companies. Let them march ahead in their professional journey and contribute to the economy," the Deputy CM said.
Sisodia said despite online classes being held, the absence of regular physical classes, lab classes, practicals and field research had hampered the learning of the students.
Hoping that it would bring "relief to lakhs of students studying in Delhi state universities", he added: "It would be unfair and difficult to hold examinations for the semester for which teaching-learning was hampered."
