New Delhi: The Supreme Court today upheld the 6 July circular of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to hold university final year exams.
The top court was pronouncing its verdict on the pleas challenging the decision of the UGC asking universities and colleges to conduct final year exams by 30 September amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The verdict was pronounced by a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan.
‘State cannot promote students without final year examinations,’ the top court asserted. It however allowed changing of exam dates.
Several petitions, including one by the Yuva Sena of Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray, had called for the exams to be cancelled because of Covid-19.
The petitions referred to difficulties faced by students at a time all educational institutions were closed due to the virus crisis. They argued that students have completed five semesters and had a Cumulative Grade Point Average or CGPA, which could be the basis for results without final examinations.
But the Supreme Court ruled that ‘internal assessments will not suffice.’