JNU to conduct exams for students who failed to take online tests

JNU VC M Jagadesh Kumar on Tuesday said the varsity will be conducting exams for the students who were unable to take them online, a day after the HRD Ministry decided not to cancel the final year exams in universities in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

Final year exams in universities will have to be conducted by September-end this year, the HRD Ministry announced on Monday, deferring the schedule from July in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases.

However, students unable to appear in final year exams in September will get another chance and universities will conduct special exams "as and when feasible", according to the revised guidelines issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The decision by the HRD Ministry came following a nod from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to conduct the exams as per the standard operating procedure (SOP) approved by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Kumar said he welcomed these revised guidelines as they give an opportunity to the students to write the end semester examinations either in offline (pen & paper)/ online/ blended (online + offline) mode following the prescribed protocols/ guidelines related to COVID-19 pandemic.

"In JNU, in many schools, we have already conducted end semester examinations using online platforms. For those who do not have access to internet, and are unable to write the examinations, we have decided to conduct the examinations when they come back to the university depending on the COVID-19 situation," he said in a statement.

The UGC has permitted the universities to conduct special examinations for those students who are unable to complete their end semester examinations by the end of September, he said.

"There couldn't have been a better practical solution. This will help millions of students in the Universities to complete their academic requirements so that they move on to the next session seamlessly.

"As universities, we are sensitive to the needs of the students and UGC has taken a step which is proactively supportive of the students," he said.