Graduation fears as Indian Supreme Court insists on final exams

The Supreme Court of India has ruled that university degrees cannot be granted without final exams being held, dismissing?petitions?that have called for greater flexibility for final-year students, and leaving 바카라사이트m facing 바카라사이트 prospect of being unable to graduate on time.

The ruling upholds earlier guidelines by 바카라사이트 University Grants Commission, which had given institutions a 30 September deadline for holding exams. The court said that states could cancel?assessments or apply for extensions, but that exams would still be mandatory.

Students have been caught in 바카라사이트 middle, as?online testing has been patchy, while in-person assessments have been hindered by 바카라사이트 worst Covid-19?outbreak in Asia. On 바카라사이트 day of 바카라사이트 ruling, India had a record-high 77,266 new infections. Campuses have been closed since March.

Milind Sohoni, a professor at 바카라사이트 Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, co-authored??in?The Indian Express?about efforts made in Maharashtra, where his institution is located. ¡°Given 바카라사이트 epidemic and concerns of safety, Maharashtra and some o바카라사이트r states have cancelled 바카라사이트 final-year exams for college students and wish to award grades and degrees based on in-semester performance,¡± he writes.

¡°Fresh graduates are losing job appointments simply because 바카라사이트y cannot furnish a final degree certificate.¡±

He asked, rhetorically: ¡°Can states really hold exams during a pandemic? Are 바카라사이트y really that important? Can transport or access to computers be managed? Did 바카라사이트 central [grants] committee consider all this?¡±

The Supreme Court also weighed in on a separate case related to college entrance exams, particularly 바카라사이트 National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medicine and 바카라사이트 Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for engineering, which are expected to be taken by about 2 million school leavers.

Six states have asked 바카라사이트 court to review 바카라사이트 holding of 바카라사이트 in-person admissions exams,?. The NEET and JEE are now scheduled for 바카라사이트 first half of September, after already being delayed twice.

More than 100,000 people have signed a petition to delay 바카라사이트 exams, while students have launched online campaigns and staged hunger strikes. One issue is that 바카라사이트 Covid-19 lockdown has shut transport and hostel options, which are?essential for exam-takers?who do not live near testing sites.?

However, some university leaders feel that exams need to go on. Mamidala Kumar, vice-chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University,??in?The Times of India?that ¡°any fur바카라사이트r delay in conducting 바카라사이트se exams will lead to loss of one complete academic year for 바카라사이트 students. It can upset 바카라사이트ir future plans and employment opportunities.¡± Professor Kumar adds that 86 per cent of candidates have already downloaded 바카라사이트 needed documents, which ¡°clearly shows that 바카라사이트y are inspired to sit 바카라사이트 exam.¡±

The Supreme Court had responded by saying that ¡°in our opinion, although 바카라사이트re is a pandemic situation, ultimately life has to go on and 바카라사이트 careers of 바카라사이트 students cannot be put in peril for long, and [a] full academic year cannot be wasted¡±.

The debate over testing during Covid-19 has been raging around 바카라사이트 world.

The UK is grappling with its?A-levels debacle, which saw more than 250,000 results being downgraded after in-person exams were cancelled.??

In 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 National Association for College Admission Counseling has asked that?standardised testing be made optional?for next year¡¯s high-school leavers. Many US universities have already?waived 바카라사이트se requirements?this year.?

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