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Maharashtra CM reiterates stand over scrapping final-year exams
Despite objections raised by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over the state’s decision to scrap final-year exams for non-professional courses for academic year 2019-20,
Despite objections raised by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over the state’s decision to scrap final-year exams for non-professional courses for academic year 2019-20, chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray is unlikely to go back on the announcement. In a meeting presided over by him on matters pertaining to the exams pending due to the Covid-19 outbreak and the subsequent lockdown, the CM reiterated his decision to not hold final-year exams in the state.
The state government is also likely to suggest all the central councils for professional courses to take a decision on similar lines, as Maharashtra is currently not in a position to conduct exams, officials said. A final decision on the matter is likely to be announced soon.
“During the meeting, the CM said we can’t play with the lives of the students by conducting exams. Final-year exams for non-professional courses must not be held,” said a senior official, who attended the meet.
Thackeray also directed the officials to hold a meeting with vice-chancellors of universities to decide on what can be done for ATKT (allowed to keep terms) students.
On Wednesday, in a meeting via video conferencing, CM had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to issue uniform guidelines for holding exams for professional and non-professional courses governed by central councils. He had also informed PM that the state has decided to promote students from non-professional courses on the basis of their grades in the previous terms, as conducting exams in the near future was not possible.
The development may escalate the ongoing tussle between the Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and the Governor.
On June 2, Koshyari had said the CM’s May 31 announcement to scrap exams was made “without any profound thinking” on legal repercussions. He had also asserted that he is the chancellor of all universities, and so the decision over exams will be taken in consonance with the provisions of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act.
On May 22, the Governor had written to CM to resolve the issue of university exams, while objecting to a recommendation made by higher and technical education minister Uday Samant to the University Grants Commission (UGC) to cancel final-year exams.
However, officials are of the view that as the state has invoked Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and Disaster Management Act, which supersede all other acts, a decision taken by the Maharashtra government will be considered final.
The state unit of the Opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as well as students’ organisation Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) have demanded the state to conduct examinations.
