Supreme Court Verdict on UGC Today: SC to Decide on Plea Regarding Final Year Exam Guidelines 2020, Check Live Updates Here

The Justices Bench of MR Shah, R Subhash Reddy and Ashok Bhushan has pronounced the final judgement today on the long-awaited plea challenging UGC guidelines that mandate holding final year (College/University) exams across the country within September 30, 2020.

Supreme Court Verdict on Final Year Exams 2020: Live Updates

11:00 AM (IST): Supreme Court did not cancel UGC Final Year exams

• Supreme Court has not cancelled Final Year Examinations for universities and colleges. 

• The verdict states UGC cannot mandate completion of final year exams within September 30, 2020. States can appeal to UGC for extension of dates.

• However, students cannot be conferred degrees without examination. Hence UGC guidelines of July 6, 2020, remain upheld.

• The decision by Maharashtra under the Disaster Management Act to scrap exams shall prevail.

• State Disaster Management Authority directives for cancelling exams in such states will overrule UGC directives.

10:46 AM (IST): Education Minister clarifies on conducting exams amid a pandemic

• Education Minister assures students that the exam would be conducted as per the Standard Operating Procedures, by the UGC in July.

• National Testing Agency will conduct exams in September as it has already released the admit cards.

The Advocate who represents the students who filed a plea tweeted stating that hearing by the apex court is listed to begin at 10:30 AM. The Bench of Justices will pass the judgement on the matter today morning.

Dear #UGC final year friends,

Wait is over.

Hon’ble Supreme Court will pronounce final order/ judgment in our UGC matter tomorrow morning at 10.30 AM.

All the Best to each one of you.

Let’s hope for the Best.

Take care. pic.twitter.com/a14orgZmDj

— Alakh Alok Srivastava (@advocate_alakh) August 27, 2020

Earlier, the Bench reserved August 28, 2020, for pronouncing the final verdict after two days of a detailed hearing. The plea demanded cancellation of final year exams amid the pandemic due to Coronavirus outbreak in the country.

UGC issued detailed guidelines on July 6, 2020, that mandated every university and college to complete final year exams within September 30 following its Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). 

However, many states had cancelled final year exams earlier while certain universities chose alternate marking scheme as COVID-19 cases spiked up in the country. Apart from students, even teachers associations appealed to the court for cancellation of exams.

Supreme Court Hearing on Plea to Cancel Final Year Exams: Arguments Hitherto

In response to this, UGC told the court that states cannot confer degrees to students without an examination. Those instructions will benefit students as universities have to begin admission for postgraduate courses. As a fact, the state governments cannot overrule their guidelines. 

The apex court has also considered the decision of state disaster management authority whether the situation is conducive to conduct exams at this juncture.

UGC has also repeatedly said final year exams as “crucial step” for building the academic career of students and states cannot label July 6 directives as ‘non-binding”. 

Petitioners had earlier argued that nobody is against UGC directives for exams during ‘normal times’. Students are only challenging the plea in view of the pandemic. 

The SC heard the plea last on August 14 (Friday) and adjourned for hearing next on August 18, 2020. 

The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict for the plea challenging UGC exam guidelines amid COVID-19 pandemic. UGC guidelines mandate colleges and universities to conclude final year exams of UG or PG courses by September 28. 

The apex court directed stakeholders to lodge replies in this regard within three days. State representatives of Maharashtra and Delhi placed their arguments stating their incapability to hold exams in this juncture.