Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday said all upcoming written examinations of universities under Delhi government will be cancelled due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, and students, including those in final year, will be passed based on evaluation of previous exams or semesters.
“All State universities have been asked to promote students based on previous exams or semesters or other evaluations till now. First year, second year and third year or final year exams will not be conducted,” said Mr. Sisodia while addressing a video briefing. “Final-year students should also be evaluated this way (without written examinations) and awarded degrees.”
The Minister clarified that the decision is for Delhi’s State universities such as Ambedkar University Delhi, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and Delhi Technological University. The Capital also has Central government-run universities such as DU and JNU and the Centre will have to take a decision on them.
“Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is going to write to the Prime Minister [Narendra Modi] that the decision taken by the Delhi government for State universities should be replicated for Central government-run universities across the country so that students get some relief,” said Mr. Sisodia.
Later, Mr. Kejriwal tweeted that he had urged the Prime Minister to personally intervene and cancel the final year exams of DU and other central government-run universities.
‘Problem for students’
The University Grants Commission had announced this week that final-year university examinations may be postponed until the end of September, but must be conducted in either online or offline mode.
Reacting to the uncertainty over the exams, DU’s executive council member Rajesh Jha said: “The attempt to score political points over exams will complicate the problems further for the students. Let the universities decide. When the district administration can decide on lockdown, containment zo-nes, then why can’t the universities, the AC [academic council] and the V-C together decide about the exams?”
