Punjab Minister Writes To MHRD; Urging To Re-Examine Revised UGC Guidelines

Punjab Higher Education Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa has written a letter to HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, urging him to re-examine the revised guidelines issued by UGC and HRD Ministry.

According to the revised guidelines issued, all the universities and colleges have to compulsorily conduct examinations for terminal semesters by September 30, 2020.

In the letter, Bajwa wrote, "Considering the larger public interest of successfully containing the COVID-19 pandemic, allow the state government to implement its decision by not making the UG/MHRD revised guidelines dated July 6, 2020 mandatory."

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Bajwa also said that UG/MHRD revised guidelines have "unnerved all the stakeholders". He also said that conducting online examinations is also not feasible, as most of the students reside in remote areas and don't have access to laptops or computers.

He further added that at many places, the colleges and university buildings have been turned into temporary medical camps, COVID-care Hospitals, and quarantine centres. Moreover, public transport is almost non-existent due to the pandemic, under such situations, the mobility of students will be severely affected.

He also mentioned in the letter that Haryana, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Maharashtra have also decided not to conduct the terminal semester examinations.

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