Yuva Sena urges state to cancel online exams announced by ICT

Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Shiv Sena, has written to state higher and technical education minister Uday Samant seeking to scrap examinations of the Institute

Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Shiv Sena, has written to state higher and technical education minister Uday Samant seeking to scrap examinations of the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT). This comes a week after HT reported that ICT had announced the dates of exams for all students.

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On Thursday, Yuva Sena, led by state environment minister Aaditya Thackeray, wrote to Samant stating that ICT in Matunga was defying the state government’s decision to scrap all exams. “In the interest of students during Covid-19 pandemic, and under the guidance of Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray, we request you to scrap the examinations planned by ICT,” said the letter signed by Yuva Sena secretary Varun Sardesai.

HT had, on June 27, reported that the institute planned to conduct two rounds of e-examinations wherein students could take the tests from their home.

On May 2, Samant had announced that all exams barring those for final-year students would be scrapped owing to the lockdown. Later on May 30, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that final-year exams, too, would be cancelled and students will be promoted based on their past performances.

ICT administration had claimed that the state’s rules were not applicable to it as ICT is a deemed university. However, Sainath Durge, core committee member of Yuva Sena, said, “The state government’s plan to scrap exams is applicable to all educational institutes, including deemed-to-be universities.” ICT registrar RR Deshmukh did not comment on the matter.

Following the letter, the state higher and technical education department issued a government resolution reiterating the decision to scrap all exams. The decision is applicable to all institutions, including deemed ones, the department clarified.