UGC, TN spar over axing arrear exams

UGC, TN spar over axing arrear exams

Commission Opposes Blanket Pass For Students With Arrears

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:30.10.2020

The Tamil Nadu government’s proposal to grant blanket pass in all arrear papers of college students citing the pandemic has run into rough weather with University Grants Commission (UGC) opposing the decision.

The UGC told the Madras high court on Thursday that it is not in tune with the decision of the Tamil Nadu government in cancelling arrear exams for college students.

The submission was made amidst chaos and confusion caused by students who thronged the virtual court of a division bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice R Hemalatha. The bench had to warn students, who kept disrupting the proceedings, of dire consequences. Some, who logged into the virtual court through random IDs, repeatedly asked the court to cancel the exams.

On its part, the UGC initially desisted from expressing its stand clearly, but chose to go on record against the state government’s order after the court upong the central agency.

The issue pertains to a batch of pleas, including one moved by former vice-chancellor of Anna University E Balagurusamy, challenging the GO cancelling arrear exams. When the plea came up for hearing, the judges pulled up the UGC for filing a counter-affidavit and explaining its stand on final semester examinations, while the issue before the court was about cancelling arrear exams and not about final semester examinations.

At one point during the hearing, the bench wondered as to whether the UGC really went through the GO passed by the state government before finalising the counter.

As counsel for UGC V Sudha sought time to clarify its stand, the court asked, “Why cost should not be imposed on the Commission for failing to appropriately assist the court?”

This apart, pointing out the stand of the state government that the GO has been passed considering the welfare of the students, the bench asked special government pleader E Manoharan as to why the state has not considered the welfare of others.

“Is it not the state duty bound to consider everyone’s welfare? If you were able to conduct final exams to college students through online mode, why not for arrear exams too,” the judges wondered.

In its counter-affidavit, the UGC submitted that it has insisted upon all the Universities to complete final year examinations alone before September 30 and that the Supreme Court too had ruled in favour of its decision.

“Our guideline dated June 7 issued to the universities was challenged before the Supreme Court on the ground that it discriminates against final year students and others. However, the apex court rejected the contention,” the UGC said.

The submissions were made amid chaos as students thronged the virtual court, leading the bench to warn those who kept disrupting the proceedings of dire consequences