JOIN USTamil Nadu not in position to conduct college final exams in September: CM
The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday said it was not in a position to conduct college examinations for the final year/semester students in September 2020, as several educational institutions have been converted into Covid-19 care centres. Such a move in the backdrop of the spread of coronavirus will jeopardise the future of students facing their final year/semester exams,
Chief Minister K Palaniswami said and requested the central government to grant "freedom to states to work out their own assessment methods, without compromising on the quality and academic credibility." In a letter to Union HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, he said the July 6 2020 guidelines (of the UGC) mandated that all educational institutions across the country conduct exams by September 2020 for the final semester students.
The guidelines have many constraints and difficulties, which include that of students reaching the examination centres as many of them reside outside the district or state and some even outside the country. It was also not feasible to conduct online examinations, considering the various issues relating to digital access to the students, he said.
"Moreover, most of the government and private Arts & Science and Engineering colleges, polytechnics and other institutions of higher learning (including the hostels, classrooms etc.,) in the state have been converted as Covid-19 Care Centres for housing asymptomatic positive persons under quarantine and these centres may continue as Covid centres for some more time," Palaniswami said.
"Therefore, if we are not in a position to conduct examinations even after waiting till September 2020, it would jeopardise the future of the students who are in their final year/ semester," the Chief Minister said. Moreover, it will also unnecessarily affect the future of students recruited through campus selection and those who have applied for courses abroad, who may have to join in October 2020 after the ban on international travel is lifted, he said in the letter, a copy of which was released to the media here.
The Chief Minister pointed out that many states have decided not to conduct final semester examinations. "In order to ensure career opportunities,future prospects and to simultaneously safeguard the principles of health, safety, fair and equal opportunity for students, states may be given the freedom to work out their own assessment methods without compromising on the quality and academic credibility,"he said.
Hence,he sought a direction to apex authorities like UGC, AICTE, Council of Architecture, Pharmacy Council of India, National Council of Teachers Education and National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology to endorse the decisions of the state governments, which would be based on the local prevailing Covid-19 conditions.
This would go a long way in rendering justice and fairness to parents and students during these distressful times,he said and pointed out that UGC guidelines on April 29, 2020 gave universities and colleges the flexibility to conduct exams without any restrictions on the guidelines or directions issued by the appropriate Government/ Competent Authority.
Stating that his government has been taking all measures required to contain spread of the virus and provide comprehensive treatment to the infected people, the Chief Minister said the efforts have borne good results. He said any minor let up may still pose a challenge and added that the government's progressive policies had seen Tamil Nadu have the highest Gross Enrolment Ratio of 49 percent among states, resulting in a large number of students studying in various universities, colleges and polytechnics.
"Though we had scheduled their semester examinations in April 2020, these examinations could not be conducted as scheduled because of Covid-19 pandemic," he said.