Maha lockdown: Only final semester varsity exams to be held

Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant

on Friday said only final year students of graduate and post- graduate courses will appear for final semester examinations this year while the first and second year students will be promoted to the next class.

The Higher and Technical Education Minister was quoted in an official statement as saying that the examination will be held between July 1 and July 30.

The lockdown in place for the novel coronavirus outbreak led to the postponement of examinations of the 13 non-agricultural universities.

Samant said the decision was taken after discussions with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray.

 

Samant, however, said the decision will be reviewed on June 20 if the situation triggered by COVID-19 persists and the lockdown period is extended.

The minister said first and second year students will be given grades and marks while they are promoted to the next class.

Samant said 50 per cent of the grades will depend on the internal assessment and the remaining half will be based on his/her performance in the previous semester.

In case any student is unhappy with the grades given, he can opt to appear for an examination and a decision in this connection can be taken at the university-level.

In case a student fails in this examination, he/she will be promoted to the next class, but will have to re-appear for the subject in which he/she failed, the minister said.

Students with ATKTs too will be promoted to the next class, but will need to clear the examination as is the rule.

"Due care will be taken to see no studentloses the academic year," the minister said.

Samant also said the technical and higher education department is working keeping in mind that the new academic year will begin from September 1 in line with the University Grants Commission's (UGC) guidelines in this connection.

For this, the result of all the examinations held will be declared on August 15.

The minister said in case of two-year, four-year and five-year courses, students of final semesters (that is 4th, 8th and 10th semester respectively) will appear for the examinations.