Aaditya Thackeray moves Supreme Court against UGC's decision to conduct final year exams

Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the University Grants Commission (UGC)'s decision to conduct the end-of-term examinations amid the magnifying coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis in the state, and by extension, the country.

However, the Supreme Court is yet to accept the petition.

Aaditya's petition comes a day after the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government in Maharashtra officially stated before the Bombay High Court that it was against conducting the final year examinations in the state due to the prevailing COVID-19 crisis.

The Maharashtra state government even told the High Court that it has asked the respective bodies for the academic courses to look into the issues arising out of the conduct of final year examinations amid the COVID-19 crisis. The court was told that it would be better if the students were to be given their degrees so that they can continue with their further studies.

Earlier this month, the UGC had issued revised guidelines regarding the conducting of the terminal semesters (or the final year examinations) by the universities. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs had allowed universities to conduct the long-pending end-of-term examinations, but only on conditions complying with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) guidelines laid down by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The Commission said that the terminal semester or the final year (end-of-term) examinations are to be conducted by the universities or institutions by September end either offline (pen and paper) or online. It can also be in a blended mode (i.e. online + offline).

It further said that the guidelines regarding the intermediate semester/year examinations, as notified earlier in the April 29 statement, remain unchanged.

The Commission said that it is "constantly making efforts to address the various issues related to teaching, learning, examinations, academic calendar, etc in the difficult times of COVID-19 pandemic."

The new academic calendar and revised guidelines will help students find ways to chart out their future courses of action in their careers, especially since a lot of things regarding the educational curriculum remain unclear at this point due to the pandemic outbreak.