Exams of non-agri universities in Maharashtra to be held offline: Minister

Talking to reporters in Nagpur, Samant said students must understand that exams had earlier been cancelled and later also conducted online in the wake of the COVID-19 wave.

Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant on Tuesday said the upcoming examinations of non-agriculture universities in the state will be held offline, as decided by vice-chancellors of such institutions.

Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant says the upcoming exams of non-agriculture universities will be held offline  ((Getty Images/iStockphoto))

Talking to reporters in Nagpur, Samant said students must understand that exams had earlier been cancelled and later also conducted online in the wake of the COVID-19 wave.

"If we keep conducting the exams online, it would raise a question mark on whether the industry would accept such students. Hence, the examinations will now be conducted as per directions of the universities and in the offline mode," the minister said.

He said the decision to hold the exams offline was not taken by the state government, but by vice-chancellors of 13 non-agri universities.

The minister was replying to a query on some students demanding exams through the online mode.

O April 2 this year, the Maharashtra government had lifted all COVID-19-related restrictions, including wearing of face masks in public places.