UGC right to make exams compulsory but states can postpone schedule: SC

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected petitioner’s demand that online/ offline examinations be scrapped in the view of Covid-19 crisis. The examinations will be held as directed by the University Grants Commission (UGC), said the apex court.

However, states can approach the UGC if they wish to postpone holding the examinations beyond the September 30 deadline, a 3-judge bench headed by justice Ashok Bhushan ruled.

On July 6, the UGC had directed universities across the country to hold final year examinations by September 30.

Even as UGC maintained that degree cannot be conferred on graduating students without holding final year examinations, states including Delhi, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh have cancelled final year University exams.

To this, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing on behalf of UGC, said that only the statutory body had power to cancel examinations and not the state governments.