The University Grants Commission has requested universities not to conduct offline exams in May and decide on conducting online exams after assessing local conditions. This is to ensure that physical gatherings can be avoided at the campuses and also to provide relief to the students, faculty and staff during the ongoing pandemic as health and safety are most important. Online exams are allowed provided that universities ensure they are prepared in all respects and adhere to the directions and guidelines issued by the Central Government, state governments, the Education Ministry, and the UGC.
In the Letter to Vice-chancellors of all universities and principals of all colleges, UGC said, “Keeping in view the current scenario of COVID-19, it is requested that Higher Education Institutions may keep the offline examinations in abeyance during May to avoid physical gathering at the campuses and also provide much-needed relief to students, faculty and staff who are presently ocuppied in fighting COVID-19 in one way or other.” the UGC said.
“However, for conduct of online examinations, HEIs may decide suitably after accessing local conditions and ensuring that they are prepared in all aspects following advisories, guidelines and directions issued by the central/state government, ministry of education and UGC from time to time in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and for the safety and health of all stakeholders.” It Added.
Earlier, the Ministry of education had directed all centrally-funded institutions (IITs, NITs, IIITs, Central Universities, etc) not to conduct offline exams in May. The decision on examinations will be reviewed again in the first week of June, 2021, the ministry had said.
The Education Ministry’s directions on exams were only for centrally-funded institutions. However, UGC’s advisory is for all the universities that come under its administration including state-run and private universities.