UGC releases important guidelines for pending exams, including next session details

Due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus across the country, the University of Grants Commission (UGC) has postponed all its examinations. Now, the guidelines have been released by the national higher education regulator for the pending examinations, including other academic activities for the next session and admissions in UGC affiliated colleges or universities.

Earlier in March, India was put on lockdown in the wake of COVID-19. To deal with the situation, UGC had appointed the two expert committees to suggest the guidelines on how to conduct the examination and also when to start the new academic session amid the pandemic outbreak.

Candidates should know some important guidelines released by UGC:

1. For intermediate semester students: students will be graded based on their internal assessment of the present and previous semester. However, the remaining exams will be conducted in states where the COVID-19 situation has been normalized in July 2020.
2. For terminal semester students: UGC announced that exams will be held in the month of July 2020.
3. UGC will constitute a COVID-19 cell in every university to solve the issues related to the academic calendar and examination.

Check out exam calendar released by UGC:

4. The COVID-19 cell will help in making the decision as early as possible.
5. College sessions will begin in August for old students while for new students the academic session will start from September.
6. If required then, universities can have summer vacations for 30 days from June 01 to June 30.
7. The new academic session 2020-20 will start from August 01, 2020, for old students and from September 01, for newly enrolled students.
8. Universities may adopt the new innovative methods to conduct the exam either by reducing the exam time from 3 hours to 2 hours or they may also examine via online mode or offline, as per their ordinances or rules and regulations, the scheme of examinations, observing the guidelines of "social distancing" and keeping in view the support system available with them and ensuring a fair opportunity to all students.
9. Universities may also conduct practical examinations and VIVA-VOCE vial Skype or other video apps.
10. Educational institutions located at those places where the Government (Central or State) has imposed restrictions on gathering of public due to coronavirus, should plan accordingly.

Also Read: COVID-19 lockdown: UGC mulls 2 committee reports; guidelines for universities, colleges soon