Delhi cancels all state universities exams this year
Delhi Government has cancelled all upcoming semester and final exams of state universities. Manish Sisodia, Delhi Education Minister, held a press conference and said that conducting examinations for a semester for which classes were not held is difficult.
Mr. Sisodia said that schools were in the midst of conducting exams when they had to be closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Delhi Government had taken the decision to promote class 9 and class 11 students without exams and wrote to MHRD for a similar decision about class 10 and class 12 exams. Education Ministry, recently announced the cancellation of class 10 and 12 board exams.
In case of Universities, the matter is a bit complicated, he added.
"Delhi Government believes that unprecedented times require unprecedented measures, and hence has decided to cancel all semester and final year exams in state Universities," he said.
All students would be promoted to the next year or semester on the basis of previous assessment. Final year students will be awarded degrees on based on past assessment.
The decision has been taken in the interest of students since it is not conducive to conduct exams right now, while it is also necessary to grant degrees to students for them to pursue higher education or for job applications.
He has also instructed that an evaluation formula be devised and students should be promoted based on that.
The decision will bring relief to lakhs of students who are enrolled at different state Universities in Delhi. However, Delhi University students will have to wait for decision on exams. Delhi University is a central university and hence does not fall in the aegis of the Delhi Government.
Delhi University, on its part, has postponed the final year or semester examinations to August. A petition has also been filed in the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of exams and assessment based on internals and previous year exams.
In the matter of Central Universities located in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written a letter to the Prime Minister requesting that central government take a similar decision for universities across the country.
(With Inputs from ANI)