Youth Cong members meet Guv, want final year exams cancelled

While the state government has cancelled the examinations, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had earlier this month issued a circular asking all the universities across the country to wrap up the final term exams before September 30. The delegation raised several points with regard to the pandemic and the safety of students, their families, teaching fraternity, non-teaching staff, the Youth Congress said in a statement.

A delegation of the Maharashtra Youth Congress on Thursday met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to demand cancellation of the final year university examinations in view of the coronavirus pandemic. While the state government has cancelled the examinations, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had earlier this month issued a circular asking all the universities across the country to wrap up the final term exams before September 30.

The delegation raised several points with regard to the pandemic and the safety of students, their families, teaching fraternity, non-teaching staff, the Youth Congress said in a statement. They demanded that the semester results should be calculated using an agreed-upon formula, which assigns aggregate marks to students based on their performance in previous semesters.

"It is imperative that this should be a uniform process announced by the UGC to be followed by every university and college in India to avoid lapses," it said. Exam fees have been collected by most institutions, which must be refunded. The universities should not charge fees for the current semester or the upcoming one if there is no clarity on the pandemic and re-opening of colleges and next set of examinations, the Youth Congress said.

"Students from less affluent and middle-class families are facing extreme financial difficulties as a result of the extended lockdown, which makes it imperative for the authorities to grant them relief in the form of a fee waiver," the delegation said. The marksheets given must be a normal one without any mention like 'given during COVID-19' or 'based on average marks' as it may hamper the students for lifetime.

Similarly, ATKTs (allowed to keep terms) and backlogs should be promoted to the next year in view of the current pandemic. There are many students affiliated with a college or university who are working on ground or assisting the concerned authority to tackle COVID-19 situation. These students can get the payment through 'earn and learn' scheme for their works. This will prompt more students to come out and work during the pandemic for society, it said in the memorandum.

Due to COVID-19, researchers registered under the state universities are not getting stipends or fellowships. This is the biggest hurdle in the research work. The university should pay the fellowship, it said.

The Shiv Sena's youth wing Yuva Sena has already moved the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of the final year exams of universities across states in view of the COVID-19 crisis. The apex court had on Monday directed the UGC to respond to the petitions which have challenged its circular.

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