COVID-19: UGC releases complete guidelines for universities

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC), on Friday, released the complete list of guidelines to be followed by universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. As per the guidelines, released by education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, all merit-based admissions must be complete by the end of October and all remaining vacant seats filled by the end of November.

The UGC,in the guidelines, said: “Merit/entrance based admissions to the first year programmes for the session 2020-21 be completed by the end of October 2020. The last date for admissions to fill up the remaining vacant seats shall be November 30. ”

“If the university faces difficulties in making admission as per the existing policy it may adopt alternative modes of admission processes, if otherwise legally tenable,” the UGC added.

UGC has also instructed universities to follow a 6-day week pattern to compensate for the loss of classes.

The education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ had earlier revealed that classes for the new semester are set to begin from November 1, as per the UGC guidelines.

Semester examinations for odd semesters are set to be conducted between March 6 and March 26, 2021. Exams for even semesters will be held from June 9 to June 21, 2021.

UGC Guidelines

The UGC has also asked universities to avail special concessions to students and parents during the COVID-19 pandemic

“In order to avoid the financial hardships faced by parents due to the lockdown and related factors, full refund of fees to be made on account of cancellation of all cancellation of admission or migration of students upto November 30.”

The guidelines reiterated that the focus on social distancing and modes of teaching will be similar to that of previous guidelines.

The UGC, in April, had released guidelines to start academic sessions from September but the increasing number of COVID-19 cases forced the commission to push the dates further down.

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