UGC suggests exams for final semester, internal assessment for rest

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued examinations-related guidelines and academic calendar to the universities in view of the COVID-19 lockdown. As per the guidelines universities have been asked to hold the terminal exam in July. It has also asked institutions to evaluate students of intermediate semesters based on internal assessment of the present and previous semester.

The UGC guidelines state that in states where the COVID-19 situation has normalized, there can be exams in July even for students in intermediate semesters. It has also asked all the universities to constitute a COVID-19 cell to solve the issues of students related to academic calendar and examinations.

It has advised universities to chart out their own plan of action taking into consideration the issues pertaining to COVID – 19 Pandemic and also ensure social distancing. A COVID-19 cell in the UGC to be created for faster decision making. The UGC while issuing the guidelines has left it on the universities also to frame their own policies

Earlier, R C Kuhad committee constituted by the UGC to suggest measures to deal with the delay in the academic cycle due to COVID-19 submitted its report on April 24, which was accepted by the UGC on April 27.

Academic calendar and exams

As earlier reported by Careers360 , the committee had suggested several measures to normalise the functioning of universities in the post lockdown scenario which included continuing teaching through online mode till May 15. It also suggested having summer vacations in June, exams in July and admission in August.

While the final UGC guidelines retain many of the recommendations, including that of reducing the duration of the exam, having 50 percent marks as internal assessment and six-day weeks, it has reduced the summer break to just 15 days. However, its guidelines say that universities may choose to have a full month of summer vacation if they are able to continue teaching effectively.

The full calendar is given below.

Admissions 2020-21

The committee also suggested that the new session can begin on August 1, 2020, for enrolled students and on September 1 for new entrants and the UGC has retained these recommendations. It has suggested holding the admission process in August and streamlining it by holding common entrance tests at the state or national level.

As the annual examinations have not taken place at most of the institutions, the committee suggested emphasising on internal assessment and project work and conducting exams for final year students as soon as the university opens. The statement issued by the UGC says: “In the situations where previous semester or previous year marks are not available, particularly in the first year of annual pattern of examinations, 100% evaluation may be done on the basis of internal assessments.”

Also read:

• Two-hour exams, projects, common entrance tests in UGC Panel’s report
  
• COVID-19: UGC sets up committee to report on exam delay by April 13
  

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