Cong MP condemns UGC's decision to hold exams in Sept, urges PM Modi to review decision

Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Tuesday condemned the decision of the UGC’s to hold university exams at the end of September and urged PM Narendra Modi to cancel the decision of conducting university examinations in the country. Tagore also suggested that the government should review the decision and consider the students' previous qualifications or marks for the assessment of their merit in their respective courses.

The Congress MP further went on to say that students are not at normalcy to face any kind of examination as all colleges and universities were closed for a long time due to the Coronavirus lockdown. He also cited examples of the states that cancelled examinations and promoted its students based on previous performances.

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"Due to prolonged lockdown, all colleges and universities have been closed and students are not at normalcy to face any kind of examinations at this moment. Several states, including Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Haryana have already cancelled all higher education exams and decided to promote students on the basis of previous performances. Remaining states are preparing to relinquish conducting state university examinations," he said.

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'Examination by the end of September is condemnable'

He also said the decision of UGC to conduct university examination by the end of September 2020 is condemnable. "At this moment, the announcement of UGC would force the students to appear in the examination with a panic attitude which would affect their results negatively," Tagore added.

Commenting on the country's COVID situation he said that India is the third worst-hit country by the COVID-19 pandemic and this has affected the economic and social structure of the country throwing the people of this country to the extreme hell. He further contended that the "nation is now passing through intensive cyclone without any support either from state or from central government".

READ | UGC allows final year exams to be held in September; issues fresh guidelines for colleges

UGC allows Final Year Exams To Be Held In September

On Tuesday, the University Grants Commission (UGC) issued revised guidelines for exams and academic calendar in view of Coronavirus pandemic. Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal confirmed that final year examinations would be conducted in September. 

The MHA on Monday permitted universities to conduct examinations during Unlock period. The ministry also wrote to the Union Higher Education Secretary, highlighting that the final Term Examinations are to be compulsorily conducted as per the UGC guidelines and as per the SOP approved by the Health Ministry. 

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