SC reserves verdict on petitions challenging the UGC circular on university exams for final year students
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 18
The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on petitions challenging the UGC circular mandating university examinations for final-year students by September 30.
After the conclusion of arguments by the counsel representing the petitioners and the UGC, a Bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan asked the parties to the case to file their written notes within three days.
The top court will decide whether there should be a final examination for degree students across the country or not. It also will decide whether states have the power under the National Disaster Management Act to defer final-year examinations till situation normalises.
Apart from some students, governments of Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha and Delhi have questioned the UGC’s July 6 circular asking universities to conduct final-year examinations by September 30.
These states maintained that students could be promoted without examination in view of the extraordinary situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The top court had earlier refused to stay the UGC circular.
The UGC, which regulates higher education in India, had refused to relent on the September 30 deadline for conducting final-year examinations of universities and colleges.
The UGC told the Supreme Court that the decision was taken “after due deliberation by taking into account and balancing all relevant factors”.
