Students reject UGC's justification for holding final exams, file rejoinder in SC

In response to a counter-affidavit filed by University Grants Commission before the Supreme court, the student petitioners have contended that the commission has failed miserably to respond to grievances raised by them.

New Delhi: Countering University Grants Commission (UGC) affidavit which had defended conducting final year exams in college/universities, the student petitioners have filed a rejoinder in the Supreme Court against it contending that UGC has miserably failed in its response on the contentions of violation of fundamental rights.

In an urgent rejoiner application, the students have urged the Supreme Court to reject the counter-affidavit filed by UGC and allow their petition challenging UGC guidelines for mandating conduct of exams for final year students by September 30.

Stating other reasons like floods in various states, poor internet availability in rural areas and J&K, lack of training, the possibility of hacking, restrictions on movements due to announcement of lockdown, limited operation of public transport, etc, the petitioner argues that appearing for last year exams will cause a lot of harassment.

One of the petitioners said that he has "only two options, first is to appear in the upcoming exams and thus endanger his own life and/or lives of other participating students, or to abstain from appearing in the upcoming exams and thus delay the completion of his degree and hence lose precious job/admission opportunities".

The rejoinder also claims that since past 4-5 months either no classes have been conducted or virtual classes have been conducted and therefore it would be "extremely unfair and unjust" on the part of UGC to conduct exams.

Earlier in the day, UGC had filed an affidavit in the top court defending its decision to hold final year exams for saving students' careers.

It had said that the expert committee had weighed all the relevant factors and then it was decided to hold the exams.