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The Union Grant Commission’s latest circular has just been shared by Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, the Union HRD Minister, after consultations with an expert committee that was set up by the Ministry of Human Resource Development to address the concerns of university students, regarding academic calender and examinations. The latest UGC circular has issued various guidelines pertaining to examinations and the academic calendar.
Highlights of the UGC Circular are as follows:
Universities may adopt easier methods to conduct examinations in a shorter rime such as multiple-choice questions, OMR based examinations, open-book examinations, open choices, presentation or assignment based, and so on.
Universities may take necessary steps to reduce examination time from 3 to 2 hours.
For intermediate semester or year students, the universities may conduct examinations, after making a comprehensive assessment of their level of preparedness, otherwise grading be done based on the internal evaluation and previous year’s or semester’s performance.
The students who have failed will be allowed to move on to the next semester. However, they will be required to pass the examination whenever it is held.
Students must be given adequate exposure to virtual laboratories through laboratory assignments and practical experiments. The link for the same will be shared by MHRD.
Every institute should develop virtual classroom and video conferencing facility, and all teachers must be trained with the use of the technology.
As far as the attendance percentage is concerned, the period of lockdown may be treated as “deemed to be attended” by all students and research scholars.
Terminal semester, year examinations for PG and UG courses, or programs may be conducted by universities as suggested in the academic calendar, which is in July.
The universities may conduct PhD, MPhil, and practical examinations and Viva-Voce Examinations through Skype or other meeting apps, and in the case of intermediate semesters, the practical examinations may be conducted during the ensuing semesters.
Classes for students in the second and third year can begin in August, and the fresh batch may begin in September 2020.
An extension of six months period may be granted to MPhil or PhD students who are yet to submit their assignments or dissertation.
Every University will have to establish a cell for handling student grievances related to examinations and academic activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and notify effectively to the students.
Apart from universities and colleges, the UGC will also have to establish a helpline for monitoring student grievances related to examinations and academic activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.