Govt to seek legal opinion for cancelling univs exams

Nagpur: Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday directed the state higher and technical education department to seek legal opinion on whether final year/semester students in traditional universities could be awarded average marks/grades based on their previous performance.

Addressing an online meeting of all vice chancellors, the CM also directed them to explore whether students could be offered an option of appearing in percentage/grades improvement test, if regular examination wasn’t conducted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Asserting that not a single student should contract coronavirus due to exams, Thackeray told VCs to clear the confusion from the minds of anxious students and parents. “The timetable and methodology of exams should be made known to them in advance if those are to be held. Various options should also be explored in this regard,” he said.

Higher and technical education minister Uday Samant had already told TOI in an exclusive interview on Friday that it wouldn’t be possible to conduct even final university exams when Covid-19 cases are spiralling in the entire state.

“The CM directed us to take legal opinion as early as possible to end the stalemate. He spoke with VCs for over two and half hours and discussed various options. As per his instructions, I will speak to chief secretary Ajoy Mehta to get a legal opinion from our Law and Judiciary Department,” Samant told TOI after the crucial meeting.

Amravati and Nagpur University VC Murlidhar Chandekar said there were mixed reactions to the suggestion to do away with the final exams and award average marks based on the previous performance. “Many suggestions came for holding exams and also doing away with them. Students’ career and their health were primarily discussed while examining both the aspects. The government would be scrutinizing suggestions from both sides and would clear its position within a couple of days after seeking legal opinion,” he said.

Apart from VCs of traditional universities, minister of state Prajakt Tanpure, education department secretary Saurabh Vijay and technical education director Abhay Wagh also attended the meeting.

Pointing out that the pandemic had offered an opportunity to end the regional imbalance in the education sector, the CM earlier called on VCs to use it for increasing the standard of primary and higher education. “It’s high time we ended the confusion over exams with proper planning. It’s now clear that exams can’t be held in July. The situation in Mumbai, Pune and Aurangabad is changing constantly. “All of us should think about converting this unprecedented situation into opportunities with the help of technology,” Thackeray said.

Earlier, Samant informed VCs about various efforts made by the government to conduct the exams. “We’re in constant touch with the VCs for taking a stock of the pandemic situation in their respective jurisdictions. All our efforts are being made by keeping students as the nucleus and we’re exploring all options with a view to hold the exams,” he said.