University exams likely to be postponed, meet today

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad:  18.06.2020

University exams are likely to be postponed by the higher education department officials in view of rising Covid-19 cases in Telangana. The exams, which were scheduled to be held from June 20 in many colleges, are expected to be postponed during a review meeting that will be held on Thursday.

Following numerous representations and complaints from students, chief secretary (education) Chitra Ramachandran is all set to convene a review meeting to discuss university exams and future course of action. Subsequently, a higher level meeting is also expected to be held by the education minister later during the week. “We are keen on postponing the exams by a couple of weeks for final year undergraduate and postgraduate students. For other students, we can conduct exams even in August as they are not due to be awarded degrees,” said an official, indicating the government’s interest in conducting the exams.

Sources said that officials will review feasibility in conducting the exams at various colleges keeping in view social distancing norms, sanitation and hygiene at exam centers, and transportation among other factors. During the meeting, officials are expected to review arrangements and decisions taken by other states and come up with its own set of guidelines for university exams.

Meanwhile, students continue to seek promotion without exams in view of the increasing number of Covid-19 cases across the state. “When the SSC exams were called off due to Covid-19, why can’t university exams be called off? When Punjab and Maharashtra could promote degree students without any exams, why can’t Telangana do the same,” questioned Venkat Balmoori, state president, National Students Union of India (NSUI), that has filed a writ petition urging the high court to promote BTech and degree students without exams.

Officials are likely to review arrangements and decisions taken by other states and come up with its own set of guidelines for university exams