Final year university exams are mandatory; deadline can be altered: SC

Final year college examination is mandatory to be conducted, however, states can request UGC to extend the deadline, SC said today.

The Supreme Court today upheld the University Grants Commission's (UGC) July 6 circular, directing varsities across the country to conduct the final year exams by September 30. The circular released by UGC earlier had mandated universities to hold the final term exams in all the affiliated universities by the end of September amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The apex court today said that the final year university exams are mandatory but it is not compulsory to be held before September 30. States can ask UGC for extension of the deadline. It also directed states and universities that they cannot promote students without holding final year exams. 

Last week, the state governments of Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal and Odisha had urged the top court to direct the UGC to defer the final year examinations as the lives of lakhs of university students could be jeopardised due to the pandemic.The bench had said that it will decide on whether the states will have the power under the Disaster Management Act to postpone the final examination or not until the COVID-19 situation normalises. The hearing was concluded on August 18.