Universities, institutions permitted by Home Ministry to conduct exams but with these conditions

In a big decision, Ministry of Home Affairs, in a letter to Union Higher Education Secretary, on Monday permitted conduct of examinations by Universities and Institutions. The final Term Examinations are to be compulsorily conducted as per the UGC Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities. Moreover, the Ministry of Home Affairs said Term Examinations are to be compulsorily conducted as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) approved by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Recently, the remaining CBSE and ICSE Board examinations for classes X and XII, scheduled to be held in July, were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The examinees of class XII students of CBSE Board will, however, have the option of either taking the exams later or to move ahead with the assessment based on their performance in the last three internal exams. The re-exam option will not be available to class X students. The option of re-examination would not be available to the ICSE Board students -- neither class XII, nor class X.

A bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar took note of submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the CBSE, that Class X and XII board examinations scheduled from July 1-15 have been cancelled. He had said a scheme has been formulated to give options to students of XII only -- for re-examination or assessment based on past performance.

The CBSE said the re-exam would be conducted when the situation becomes conducive and the option to take up the re-exam would not be available to class X examinees. The results may be declared in mid-August, the CBSE said on being asked by the court to clarify as to when the academic year will begin after the declaration of results.