An Expert Committee on 27th April 2020, headed by Professor R.C. Kuhad, was constituted by the University Grants Commission UGC. The UGC has recommended an academic calendar to avoid the academic loss this year due to the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. The University Grants Commission has also suggested the issue related to the examination.
Recommendations by UGC’s Expert Committee surface fluctuating concerns. The number of student desires abrogation of examinations, while some urge preponement of examinations.
The University Grant Commission recommended the beginning of a new session for old students from August and for new students from September. UGC also suggested the Universities for conducting the examination in the month of July
The proposition of conducting exams in July has turned out to be a cause of concern. Some students at the University of Delhi have, in turn, requested to the UGC, to conduct the final semester exams in May instead of July as the delay would provoke negative consequences for students who were supposed to start working from July 2020; given that several companies may give preference to students from other colleges who have already written their exams.
A student of Delhi University said, “It [delay] is causing a lot of mental distress because a lot of MNCs will revoke job offers for those who will not be able to get their provisional degrees by July”
Students of Delhi University has circulated a WhatsApp message in various groups which raise a various concern and also write a letter to the concern authorities suggesting them to cancel the exams this year due to the spread of the pandemic. –
“To say that we have been shaken by the circumstances around us would be an understatement. The given circumstances add to the social, academic, and professional pressure being encountered by each one of us. Amidst this, the idea of sitting for examinations is scary. Therefore, being the primary stakeholders, we are writing to the UGC, University of Delhi, and the HRD ministry, asking them to cancel our examinations.”
The letter further mentions alternatives such as:
- Changes in the pattern of evaluation such as to constitute 50% of students’ marks, with the remainder 50% marks being derived from the students’ previous 5 batches of examinations.
- Alternatively, following the 25-75 marks ratio followed by Delhi University, derivation of 25% marks from the Internal Assessment conducted in the current academic year (2019-20), and the rest 75% marks represented by an average of the theory examinations attempted by the students in previous semesters.
- 10% increase in the average marks being derived from previous theory examinations. Fourthly, degrees awarded to final year students must necessarily display the fact that students underwent an interrupted final semester/year due to a global pandemic.
- The final year students should still have access to improvement examinations in the foreseeable future for their respective subjects.
The University Grants Commissions suggestions can be modified by the University as per the need. Therefore, the final decision from the Delhi University is yet pending.
~ Neha Dhingra
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