After MHA nod, UGC decides to conduct final year exams

New Delhi: In an important development, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has decided to conduct final semester or final-year examination after the UGC got a go-ahead order from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for holding final term examinations by following the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by Union Health Ministry.

The decision in this regard was taken by the higher education regulator at a key meeting held on Monday.

As per HRD officials, the universities and colleges would be asked to assess the graduating batch through an examination conducted in either online or offline or blended mode. The regulator also decided to change its indicative alternate calendar and advise institutions to hold exams for them by September-end.

The UGC had first released an indicative academic calendar for higher education institutions on April 29 in which it had prescribed that universities conduct their final-year or terminal semester examination from July 1 to July 15 and declare their results end of the month.

Earlier in the day, the MHA, in a letter to Higher Education Secretary, permitted to conduct examinations by universities and institutions. "The final term examinations are to be compulsorily conducted as per the UGC guidelines on examinations and academic calendar for the varsities as per the standard operating procedure (SOP) approved by the Health Ministry," the MHA letter said.

As per HRD Ministry officials, the UGC would hold a special exam after September for those students who fail to appear in the final year exams and those who fail to pass the exam would also get a chance to improve their score. Notably, the UGC was on June 24 asked to reconsider its "guidelines on examinations and academic calendar for the universities in view of Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown" .