The Supreme Court on Friday will hear Yuva Sena’s petition against UGC Guidelines. In view of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Shiv Sena’s youth wing Yuva Sena had moved the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of the final year exams of universities across states.
Taking to Twitter, Yuva Sena secretary Varun Sardesai wrote: "Supreme Court will hear Yuva Sena’s petition against UGC Guidelines today. Yesterday UGC has submitted an affidavit supporting their decision. Our lawyers have studied it and are fully prepared to justify our stand. Will keep everyone updated."
The Yuva Sena has demanded all states be given the right to take an appropriate decision based on the prevailing situation in their respective areas. The Maharashtra government has already cancelled the final year/final semester examinations for professional and non-professional courses.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the UGC justified in the Supreme Court its decision directing all universities and institutions to hold final year/semester examinations in September. The UGC while justifying its stand said that it was done to protect the academic future of students across the country.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) filed a 50-page affidavit on a batch of petitions, including the one filed by Yuva Sena. The UGC said that in June this year, considering the evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, it requested the expert committee to revisit the April 29 guidelines.
"Accordingly, the expert committee (which also included vice-chancellors of technical universities and a representative of industry) did so, and submitted a report recommending that terminal semester/final year examinations should be conducted by universities/ institutions by the end of September, 2020 in offline (pen & paper)/ online/ blended (online + offline) mode," the UGC said.
