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SC asks UGC to file reply to affidavits against final-year exam, next hearing on August 14

New Delhi | 10-Aug-2020

The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday (August 10) said that it will now hear the petition challenging the University Grants Commission (UGC) decision to make final-year examinations mandatory on August 14.
The apex court has granted time to the UGC to file a reply on the affidavits to Delhi and Maharashtra governments. It is to be noted that an affidavit has been filed in the SC by the governments of Delhi and Maharashtra informing that they will not be conducting final-yer examinations due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, who appeared for UGC in SC, said that degrees are questioned by UGC and states have no rights to cancel exams. "Students should continue to prepare for the exams (final-year). If exams are not conducted, students cannot get the degree. That is the law," said SG Tushar Mehta.
It may be recalled that UGC had said on July 7 that the end-term examination for all final-year students would have to be mandatorily held by the end of September 2020 in offline, online or blended mode. The UGC's decision was opposed by several state governments and many final-year university students.
On July 27, SG Mehta had informed the SC that out of 818 universities in India, 209 have already competed the examinations while 394 are in the process of completing the examinations.
On July 30, the SC was informed by UGC that if students are unable to appear for the examinations by September 30, they will be allowed to appear at specially conducted exam at a later date.