UGC calls emergency meeting, guidelines on pending exams, fresh academic session to release soon

The University Grants Commission (UGC) called an emergency meeting today to discuss the issues related to the academic calendar and release of the fresh schedule for the pending exams.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) called an emergency meeting today to discuss the issues related to the academic calendar and release of the fresh schedule for the pending exams. According to the reports, UGC constituted two committees to look into the issues of academic loss and online education in the wake of the lockdown in the country imposed to contain the COVID-19 spread. The two expert committees prepared their reports and submitted them to the commission last week.

The nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the deadly COVID-19 pandemic led to the postponement of exams, closure of academic institutions, delay in results and ruptured the education system of the country. According to an official from the Commission, the UGC is all set to announce the guidelines soon on conducting examinations and academic activities based on the reports submitted by the expert committees which were formed by the supervision of the Human Resource Development Ministry in March.

The news agency reported that the commission officials deliberated on the recommendations made by two panels set up to look into the issues of academic loss and online education in the wake of the lockdown in the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

One of the committees led by Haryana University Vice-Chancellor RC Kuhad was formed to look into the ways of conducting exams in universities amid the lockdown and work on an alternate academic calendar. 

To work on an alternative academic calendar and to look into the ways of conducting exams in universities amid the COVID-19 spread, UGC formed a committee led by Haryana University Vice-Chancellor RC Kuhad. The second committee was formed to suggest measures to improve online education which was led by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) V-C Nageshwar Rao.

As stated by UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain, "An emergent meeting was held today through video conferencing. Both the reports, guidelines and implementations plans were discussed at length and some suggestions were given by the commission members. We will soon issue guidelines for universities and colleges,”

According to the source, "One panel has recommended that the academic session be started from September than July. The second panel has suggested that universities should conduct online exams if they have the infrastructure and means or wait for the lockdown to get over and then decide a date for pen-and-paper examinations."

Earlier, the commission in a statement stated, “The reports will be discussed in the UGC Commission meeting and based on the decision of the Commission, UGC will issue Guidelines/Advisories, next week, to the Universities and Colleges regarding the measures to be taken for the current academic session as well as next academic session in the larger interest of the student community.”

Read More: