Tamil Nadu universities postpone semester exams indefinitely as Covid-19, Omicron cases rise

NEW DELHI: The Tamil Nadu government announced that the university semester exams slated for later this month have been postponed indefinitely due to the Covid-19 situation. Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi said the decision has been taken after a meeting with Chief Minister MK Stalin.

Earlier, the University of Madras postponed all semester exams scheduled to begin from January 21. Regular practical exams which began on January 3 also stands postponed, the Times of India reported. The decision was taken owing to the rise in Covid-19, Omicron cases in India.

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As per reports, the education minister K Ponmudi said, "All university exams are being deferred indefinitely due to the surging covid numbers. The revised schedule will be announce later."

"A circular has been already issued that colleges should not hold physical classes", he said.

Several state governments instructed schools, colleges to shut owing to the rise in Covid-19 cases. To tackle the rising coronavirus cases, CM MK Stalin on January 5 ordered closure of all schools upto Class 9. However, he had earlier announced that the physical classes will continue for students of classes 10, 12 considering board exams and vaccination drive.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate 11 new government medical colleges across Tamil Nadu and the new campus of Central Institute of Classical Tamil in Chennai today via video conferencing.

India saw a single-day rise of 1,79,723 coronavirus infections taking the total tally to 3,57,07,727, including 4,033 cases of the Omicron variant reported across 27 states and union territories so far, according to data updated by the Union Health Ministry on Monday. The number of active cases has increased to 7,23,619, the highest in around 204 days.