UGC guidelines on university examinations: All you need to know

Union Grant Commission on Wednesday released the guidelines on examinations and academic calender in view of COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines issued by UGC are advisory in nature. Universities can chart out its own plan of action taking into consideration the issues pertaining to COVID -19 pandemic. Universities are also advised to ensure social distancing. Read on to check the UGC guidelines on university exams.

Universities are advised to adopt efficient and innovative modes of examinations by reducing duration from 3 hours to 2 hours. Universities are also advised to complete the process in a shorter period. Terminal semester/ year examinations can be conducted as suggested in the academic calendar. Universities should observe 'social distancing' while conducting any exam.

The notice instructed that “For intermediate semester/year students, the universities can conduct examinations, after making a comprehensive assessment of their level of preparedness, residential status of the students, status of COVID-19 pandemic spread in different regions / states and other factors.” If the situation does not appear to be normal in view of COVID-19, in order to maintain ‘social distancing”, safety and health of the students, grading of the students could be composite of 50% marks on the basis of the pattern of internal evaluation adopted by the universities and the remaining 50% marks can be awarded on the basis of performance in previous semester only (if available). The internal evaluation can be continuous evaluation, prelims, mid-semester, internal evaluation or whatever name is given for student progression.

In the situations where previous semester or previous year marks are not available, particularly in the first year of the annual pattern of examinations, 100% evaluation can be done on the basis of internal assessments. If the student wishes to improve the grades, he/she can appear in special exams for such subjects during next semester. This provision for intermediate semester examinations is only for the current academic session (2019-20) in view of COVID-19 pandemic, while maintaining safety and health of all the stakeholders and sanctity and quality of examinations.

Universities can adopt appropriate strategies to facilitate the UG/ PG students pursuing Projects/ Dissertations. Universities can consider to assign review-based/ secondary data-based projects or software-driven projects, instead of laboratory-based experiments or field/ survey-based assignments to these students.

The universities can conduct the practical examinations and Viva-Voce Examinations through Skype or other meeting apps, and in case of intermediate semesters, the practical examinations may be conducted during the ensuing semesters.

The universities may conduct the Ph.D. and M. Phil. Viva -Voce Examinations through Video Conferencing using Google, Skype, Microsoft Technologies or any other reliable and mutually convenient technology. Extension of six months period to the M.Phil. or Ph.D. students.