Updated 29 August 2020 at 14:55 IST
West Bengal weighing options to hold final-year university exams in Oct before Durga Puja
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that her govt is planning to hold the final-year college and university exams in October before Durga Puja.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee announced that since the Supreme Court upheld UGC's directive on exams, the state will hold the final exams for graduating students in October before the Durga Puja. However, Banerjee did not shy away from making her displeasure with UGC's decision clear. The West Bengal CM said that conducting exams will be put the lives of lakhs of students at risk.
West Bengal CM on final exams
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said that the final exams for students to graduate are to be conducted before the beginning of Durga Puja on October 22. The West Bengal CM made her stand clear during the virtual rally for TMCP. She also questioned UGC's decision of conducting exams amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I won't blame the court. But I want to ask the centre's UGC, why are you putting students in trouble? In America, they opened schools, students went and one lakh students got coronavirus infection," said the West Bengal CM.
On August 24, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee took to Twitter to appeal to the Centre against UGC's directive. In her tweet, she requested PM Modi and the Centre to evaluate the risk and postpone the exams until the risk of COVID-19 lessens. On the other hand, the West Bengal Governor supported the SC's decision and stated that the student's matter should not be made into a political issue.
This has put a number of West Bengal Universities in trouble as several students have been given graduation certificates on the basis of internal assessment as per NDTV reports. Same is the case with many universities in other states as well. According to an NDTV report, a senior faculty at a university in Kolkata, West Bengal, said that the IITs and NIITs have not held exams and simply allowed students to graduate on the basis of internal assessment, and many have already landed jobs and started working. At the same time, it is important to understand that the IITs and NIITs are governed by AICTE which hasn't demanded a final exam, the faculty added.
SC's verdict on UGC directive
On Friday, the Apex court upheld the UGC's decision which says that final year exams for graduates are mandatory. The top court, in its verdict, said that while holding the exams is compulsory it is not necessary for colleges to hold it before September 30 and they can request UGC for an extension. The SC also stated that no college or university can promote students without exams but at the same time they also upheld the Maharashtra government's decision to postpone exams under the Disaster Management Act.
Published By : Janvi Manchanda
Published On: 29 August 2020 at 14:55 IST