Even as students continue to report difficulty in attending online classes across the country, a UGC-appointed panel has said that Universities, upon their own discretion, can decide to hold pending semester or annual examinations in the online mode. The committee, however, maintained that universities can go ahead with online examinations if they have the infrastructure.
UGC constituted two committees to analyse the issues surrounding pending exams and the upcoming academic session.
The Committee to look into the ways of conducting exams in universities amid the lockdown and work on an alternate academic calendar was headed by Haryana University Vice Chancellor RC Kuhad. The Committee suggested that the new academic session could start in September instead of July.
The second committee to suggest measures to improve online education, was headed by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Vice Chancellor Nageshwar Rao. The second panel has suggested that universities should conduct online exams if they have the infrastructure and means or wait for the lockdown to get over and then decide a date for pen-and-paper examinations, reported news agency PTI.
UGC's final decision on both the panel's suggestions is yet to come. The Commission may or may not accept all the recommendations made by the two committees.
The lockdown which was extended till May 3 thwarted plans of many universities to resume pending examinations after the first lockdown period was supposed to end.
Before Universities can begin the new academic session, they will need to conduct semester examinations and announce results. Telangana government has made the decision not to detain any first and second year degree students to the next year. Students will have to appear for the examinations but 50% credit rule will not be applied this year.
Kerala University is also willing to resume examinations in the second week of May. In Tamil Nadu, the government may decide to hold pending examinations in the beginning of the next academic session.
Delhi University has begun online examination form filling but has not released any examination schedule yet.
Another problem facing the universities is fresh admission process which is bound to get delayed since either board examinations in many states and by CBSE, or board exam results have been postponed in light of the coronavirus crisis.
Click here for more Education News
