Cancel final year/semester exams of professional courses: Thackeray to PM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to instruct relevant apex bodies to cancel final year/semester examinations of professional courses in view of the outbreak of the coronavirus.

In a letter to Modi dated June 25, Thackeray said considering the current COVID-19 situation, the state Disaster Management Authority, in a meeting on June 18, decided not to conduct final year/semester examinations of non-professional as well as professional courses and award degrees to students based on a formula to be decided by universities.

Further, an option would be given to students who want to take examinations whenever they are held, he said. At the meeting, it was also decided to get the decision in respect of professional courses endorsed by the respective apex authorities since they regulate these courses, the chief minister said.

These apex bodies include the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Council for Architecture (COA), Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), Bar Council of India (BCI), National Council For Teachers Education (NCTE) and National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT).

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“I request you to instruct the national-level apex authorities to endorse the decision of the state government regarding cancellation of final year/final semester examinations of professional courses and to issue necessary guidelines to universities in this regard,” Thackeray said in the letter.

Thackeray said students and parents are concerned about the final year/semester examinations of the academic year 2019-20 and commencement of the next academic year in view of the prevailing coronavirus crisis.

The present atmosphere caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is not conducive to conduct examinations or classes in educational institutes, the chief minister said. The need of the hour was to have uniform guidelines in respect of cancellation of examinations, Thackeray said, adding the pandemic has created many challenges for students pursuing higher education.