SC Verdict On UGC Final-Year University Exams Out

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the July 6 circular of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to hold university final year exams in September amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

While delivering the ruling through video-conferencing, a bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and MR Shah said that the states not inclined to hold final year exams by September 30, will have to make representation to the UGC to postpone the deadline.

The decision of the State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMA) to postpone exams will prevail, but it cannot decide to pass students without exams, the bench added.

Several petitions, including one by Yuva Sena of Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray, had called cancellation of the exams due to COVID-19.

The UGC had argued that the exams were a must to “protect the academic future of students” and that degrees cannot be given without examinations