Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi Urges HRD Minister To Reconsider UGC Directive To Compulsorily Hold Final Year Exams In Sep

Priyanka Chaturvedi, Member of Parliament - Rajya Sabha, Maharashtra wrote to HRD Minister, R P Nishank Minister, bringing his attention to the MHA advisory issued yesterday directing all Central Universities and UGC to compulsorily carry out the final year exams that were postponed in the month of April 2020 due to COVID-19 induced lockdown. The newly revised guidelines issued by UGC states that the exams will be carried out offline/online/hybrid, depending on the convenience of the students in the month of September. She highlighted the issues that the students would face at a time when India has crossed over 7 lakh COVID cases across the nation and deaths exceeding 20000. 

- At this time exposing our young citizens to not just the dangers of the virus but also the mental stress of having to face the exams is an order fraught with risk considering the spread has reached every nook and corner of the country. 

- The students, based on the decision taken by various states, in accordance to the earlier UGC guideline and based on aggregate scores had already applied to Indian and Foreign Universities and have secured admissions besides lakhs of them have committed to job offers. The flip-flops from the Central Government can jeopardise their future prospects. 

- Expecting all students to have digital setup and infrastructure so as to be able to appear online is disregarding the students coming from economically weaker homes and rural areas that are beset with connectivity/internet issues.

She requested to reconsider this decision and rather than making It compulsory, allow the students, choice to appear for the exams or settle with the aggregate past scores. She reminded that we are going through uncertain times where we still do not have enough data to process how long the pandemic is likely to last and the long term impact of it. The world over renowned educational institutes are keeping their students' safety above all else. It becomes our responsibility, as lawmakers, to ensure our students get a supportive environment in times such as these.