If MCQs, assignments based exams available for final year students, Delhi HC asks UGC
The Delhi High Court has asked the University Grants Commission (UGC) to clarify on the University Examination. As per the reports, the High Court asked UGC whether the options of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), assignments and presentation based examinations are available for the final year students.
After Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought time to take instructions on whether assignment based exams are consider in the UGC guidelines, a bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh listed the matter for further hearing on Friday
The court also observed that various Universities in the country had opted for alternative modes for conducting examinations so that students did not face any inconveniences amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The High Court during the hearing also observed that it is completely impractical to have a timed online examination. “We live in the heart of Delhi and there was no electricity or connectivity for hours due to the rain,” the bench said.
The court also took note of a survey report filed by an intervenor in the matter which said that most of the students are against timed online examination.
Sachin Datta, a senior advocate who was arguing for Delhi University, told the court that students do not need internet connectivity continuously as they just need it to download and upload. He also said that the varsity is working day and night and there is no other way.
However, the High Court expressed unhappiness with his response and said that there are more than 200 universities and some of them have finished the examination.
The court also noted that as per exams guidelines, students require minimum 4G connectivity, and remarked with a question that how much is the 4G penetration in our country.
The petition was filed by several students seeking to abolish and withdraw the notifications issued by UGC on May 14, 30 and June 27, 2020 in respect of undergraduate and postgraduate examination.
The petition also sought to direct the Delhi University to evaluate the final year students based on the previous years’ or semesters’ results in the same manner as the respondent University has planned to promote the first and second-year students.