Uday Samant, higher education and technical minister of Maharashtra, conducted a Facebook live with over 22,000 students of the state to inform the decision taken by the government with regards to the final exams of the Mumbai Unversity for all the courses.
During his interaction, he said that "No final semester exams of final year programmes are cancelled."
He announced that the final year last semester examinations of all Undergraduate (UG), Postgraduate (PG), Dilploma, PhD and higher education programs will be conducted from July 1 to July 31, 2020 as per University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines.
He said, "Exams of last semester of the final year will be conducted for example, for three year courses like Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Arts (BA) or Science (BSc), etc. For four year programmes like engineering, the final or eighth-semester exams will be conducted. For five year programnes like Architecture, the tenth or final semester exams will be conducted."
He added, "The final semester exams will be conducted by following the guidelines of the government and maintaining social distance."
Moreover, students will be given 45 days attendance which have been spent in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that the results of all last semester exams of final year will be declared by August 14, 2020. Following which the new academic year will begin from September 1, 2020.
He added "If the situation due to the coronavirus worsens and the lockdown continues in Maharashtra, students will be informed about any changes in the exam schedule by June 20."
Apart from final semester exams of final year, no other course exams will be conducted, he said.
He also clarified that all students studying in other years apart from the final year will be promoted to the next year on a 50-50 carry forward basis.
They will be graded on a 50-50 basis where 50 per cent marks will be given as per their performance in previous semester and 50 per cent based on the current year performance.
ATKT students will be promoted to next year and will have to clear the particular subject exams within the first 120 days of the next year. This backlog clearance exam schedule will be decided by respective universities.
All pending practical exams, internals and vivas of final year students will be conducted online if it is not possible to conduct it offline, Samant informed.
Amid tensions among the students regarding their further studies, Samant assured "Students should not panic as there will be no academic loss."
He added, "Students should be prepared as according to the COVID-19 situation necessary measures will be taken. If need be exams might be conducted in two hours instead of three or the 100 marks paper might be brought down to a 50 mark exam. "
The Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MHT-CET) for entry to technical, medical, and dental courses will be conducted between July 20 to 30, said Samant.
"Students and parents who have any queries, doubts or issues related to exams can approach their respective universities and colleges. The state has informed all universities and colleges to set up counselling centres, redressal cell and helpline for students," Samant added.
Samant advised that the "Students should use this lockdown time to study and prepare for exams while staying at home."
