Commission have power to take action if states cancel university exams: UGC

The University Grants Commission (UGC) in wake of states canceling final year university exams has said that states are not permissible to do this and commission does have the power to take action. Asking state universities to follow the revised guidelines, UGC has said that states are legally bound to follow its guidelines.

"As per the UGC Act, State governments cannot take this decision. Unlike school education, which is on the State list, higher education is on the concurrent list. UGC and AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) directives have to be implemented. It is there in the act," The Hindu quoted HRD Secretary Amit Khare as saying.

UGC reaction has come after Delhi became the latest state to cancel all state-level university examinations. Delhi announced this decision on Saturday.

So far states including Punjab, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal which have



already cancelled exams, written to the Centre that they do not wish to conduct the exams. The latest to join the states in cancelling university examination is Delhi.

However, UGC earlier directed states to conduct final year examinations by September end in online or offline mode. The regulatory body also asked states to follow revised guidelines on conducting examinations.

Amid this, Madhya Pradesh which had earlier cancelled the exams, took a u-turn and said it will now conduct exams while Rajasthan, Haryana who have also cancelled the exams are yet to take a decision as per the fresh UGC guidelines.

"Consider the future if degrees are granted without any assessment. Even if final term degrees are granted now without exams, what will happen to the next term? If COVID continues for a year, will we start granting degrees without exams for years together?" The Hindu quoted HRD Secretary.