UGC Says Final Year Exams Cannot Be Cancelled; Verdict On Odisha & Other State's PILs Reserved

New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its judgement on examinations after the University Grants Commission (UGC) informed the top court that the final year exams should not be cancelled.

The top will soon decide whether the final year degree examinations in universities should be held before September 30, in accordance with the UGC guidelines.

The SC will also take the final call on whether the state governments have the power to take a decision against conducting final year examinations under the Disaster Management Act.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan reserved the judgement on a batch of PILs along with some state governments - Odisha, Delhi, Maharashtra and West Bengal - questioning the UGC direction to universities to conduct final year exams before September 30, reported IANS.

The states have argued that they have the power to promote students without exams during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Appearing for the UGC, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta contended before the court that final year is the degree year and exams cannot be cancelled. He also cited examples of many top-level universities who have opted for online exams.

Mehta contended before the SC bench that UGC guidelines are mandatory and the guidelines which have been challenged before the apex court have a statutory mandate.

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