UGC Supreme Court reserves verdict on pleas seeking cancellation of UGC final term exams
New Delhi/UNI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on pleas challenging UGC guidelines that mandating to conduct final year examinations by the end of September.
The top court asked all the parties to give a note on their submissions within the next three days.
The students have been opposing the top education body's July 7 decision asking institutes to conduct final year exams by September 30 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
While hearing the plea, the Apex Court bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan questioned whether the final semester tests can be skipped by students.
Justice Bhushan observed that only the authorities will be able to decide students' welfare and that students are not 'competent' enough to decide.
Senior Counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Shyam Dewan were appearing on behalf of the students, while Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was represented the UGC. The petitioners also include the Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Shiv Sena.
The UGC told the Apex Court that the final year tests can be postponed but not cancelled. It asserted that states can consider pushing the September 30 deadline ahead but not cancellation of exams and that degrees cannot be conferred without conducting exams.
The bench stated that the arguments need to be raised in an all-binding manner and not in a state-specific way as the UGC is applicable pan-India.
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