<p>Batting for students, Rahul Gandhi on Friday termed the UGC advisory to hold final year university examinations by September end as “unfair” and made a strong pitch for assessment on the basis of past performance.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-news-live-updates-tamil-nadu-sees-record-single-day-spike-with-over-4800-new-cases-indias-tally-crosses-632-lakh-toll-at-18307-856206.html">Follow latest updates on the Covid-19 pandemic here</a></strong></p>.<p>The former Congress President’s remarks came days after Shiv Sena and CPI(M)-affiliated Students’ Federation of India had demanded scrapping the UGC decision to hold final year university examinations.</p>.<p>"It is extremely unfair to conduct examinations during the Covid-19 pandemic. UGC must hear the voice of the students and academics. Exams should be cancelled and students promoted on the basis of past performance,” the former Congress President said.</p>.<p>Congress also launched an online campaign “SpeakUpForStudents”, urging followers to post short videos giving voice to the demands of the university students.</p>.<p>Maharashtra Higher Education Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant has written a letter to the HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, urging him to cancel the final year university examinations citing the Covid-19 situation in the state.</p>.<p>Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Shiv Sena, had launched an online petition against the UGC decision on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Lok Sabha member Manickam Tagore had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding cancellation of the UGC decision to hold final year university exams.</p>.<p>West Bengal and Odisha governments too have expressed concern over the UGC decision to hold final year examinations for university students.</p>.<p>On Monday, the UGC had issued guidelines that said the final year university examinations can be held in September.</p>.<p>As a part of the “standard operating procedure” (SOP) for conducting the final-year or end-semester examinations, the educational institutions have been advised to hold the final-year or end-semester exams by September, 2020 in pen-and-paper, online mode or a “blended” mode.</p>
<p>Batting for students, Rahul Gandhi on Friday termed the UGC advisory to hold final year university examinations by September end as “unfair” and made a strong pitch for assessment on the basis of past performance.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-news-live-updates-tamil-nadu-sees-record-single-day-spike-with-over-4800-new-cases-indias-tally-crosses-632-lakh-toll-at-18307-856206.html">Follow latest updates on the Covid-19 pandemic here</a></strong></p>.<p>The former Congress President’s remarks came days after Shiv Sena and CPI(M)-affiliated Students’ Federation of India had demanded scrapping the UGC decision to hold final year university examinations.</p>.<p>"It is extremely unfair to conduct examinations during the Covid-19 pandemic. UGC must hear the voice of the students and academics. Exams should be cancelled and students promoted on the basis of past performance,” the former Congress President said.</p>.<p>Congress also launched an online campaign “SpeakUpForStudents”, urging followers to post short videos giving voice to the demands of the university students.</p>.<p>Maharashtra Higher Education Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant has written a letter to the HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, urging him to cancel the final year university examinations citing the Covid-19 situation in the state.</p>.<p>Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Shiv Sena, had launched an online petition against the UGC decision on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Lok Sabha member Manickam Tagore had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding cancellation of the UGC decision to hold final year university exams.</p>.<p>West Bengal and Odisha governments too have expressed concern over the UGC decision to hold final year examinations for university students.</p>.<p>On Monday, the UGC had issued guidelines that said the final year university examinations can be held in September.</p>.<p>As a part of the “standard operating procedure” (SOP) for conducting the final-year or end-semester examinations, the educational institutions have been advised to hold the final-year or end-semester exams by September, 2020 in pen-and-paper, online mode or a “blended” mode.</p>
