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             additional quota for EWS, the ceiling                                     demic Diseases Act (1897)
             for the preferential/concessional                                         and  Disaster  Management
             admissions will be raised to 59.5                                         Act (2005).
             percent, closing the door on a major-                                       Not prepared to accept
             ity of general merit category students                                    the state government’s de-
             who top public entrance exams.                                            cision, UGC has challenged
                As and when the new Constitution                                       the executive order. Its ar-
             bench of the apex court deliberates                                       gument in the apex court is
             whether the 49.5 percent affirma-                                         that these Acts cannot “ren-
             tive action ceiling prescribed in                                         der the statutory provisions
             Indira Sawhney’s Case needs to be                                         of another special Act such
             breached in the interests of equity                                       as the University Grants
             and social justice, perhaps they                                          Commission Act (1956) nu-
             should bear in mind that none of                                          gatory”.
             India’s 993 universities — some of   Uddhav & Aditya Thackeray: powerful combination  “UGC has to consider
             them of over 150 years vintage —                                          how impractical it is to con-
             are ranked in the World University   Although the petitioners are un-  duct examinations in these extraordi-
             Rankings (WURs) of the authori-  sympathetic, UGC had already de-  nary times. If social distancing norms
             tative London-based HEIs rating   ferred the date of the final year exam   are observed, each exam centre will
             agencies QS and Times Higher     from July (as per its April 29 guide-  accommodate only ten students. This
             Education.                       line) to September following recom-  means 60,000-70,000 teachers will
                              Autar Nehru (Delhi)  mendations of an expert committee   have to be deployed as supervisors.
                                              under the chairmanship of R.C. Ku-  Moreover, it’s pertinent to note that
               MAHARASHTRA                    had, vice chancellor of Central Univer-  23 percent of college students are
             Exams U-turn                     sity, Haryana. The new order allows   from EWS (economically weaker sec-
                                                                               tion) households. Their homes and
                                              universities options to conduct the
                                              examination online, offline (pen and   even some of the nearest exam cen-
                   here is growing opposition with-  paper) or a combination of both. Stat-  tres don’t have stable electricity, let
                   in Maharashtra’s students and   ing that certification based on credible   alone Internet connection. That’s why
             Tparents communities against a   evaluation is a “very important mile-  online assessments of the past two
             UGC (University Grants Commission)   stone in any education system”, UGC   years have been delayed by four-five
             July 6 order directing universities to   justifies formal examinations as criti-  months. Therefore, online exams are
             conduct final year exams of affiliated   cal to provide “credibility that is nec-  likely to prove very difficult, if not im-
             colleges for the academic year 2019-  essary for global acceptability”.    possible. The better option would be
             20 by end-September. With Maha-     The state government which en-  for colleges to self-assess and provide
             rashtra recording the highest number   dorsed UGC’s earlier directive had di-  provisional results — until exams are
             of Covid-19 positive cases in India —   rected universities to hold final year   held later in the year — so students can
             441,000 and 15,576 deaths (August   university exams in July despite no   apply for jobs asap,” says Tapti Muk-
             2) — the state’s Shiv Sena-led Maha-  let-up in the Covid spike. However,   hopadhyay, president of MFUCTO.
             rashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition   it has made a U-turn after the Yuva   here’s an element of disingenu-
             government had cancelled final year   Sena, the Shiv Sena’s youth wing  Tousness in Mukhopadhyay’s ar-
             exams of 1 million final year college   headed by Aditya Thackeray, son of   gument. At a time when the economy
             and university students statewide.   chief minister Uddhav  Thackeray   is in lockdown and unemployment is
                However, UGC is adamant these   and minister of tourism and environ-  at its highest in 45 years, the expec-
             examinations are held. In this con-  ment, called for cancellation of the   tation that university graduates will
             nection, several cases are being heard   examinations. Writing to UGC (May   land jobs on the strength of provi-
             in the Bombay high court as well as   17), the state government proposed   sional certificates issued by colleges
             in the Supreme Court. The latest peti-  cancellation of exams questioning the   affiliated with universities, is naive.
             tioner is the Maharashtra Federation   “feasibility of conducting exams of ap-  There’s considerable merit in UGC’s
             of  University  and  College  Teachers   proximately 8-10 lakh students while   argument that Maharashtra’s 49 uni-
             Organisation (MFUCTO) represent-  maintaining safety protocols”. On   versities have had sufficient time to
             ing 30,000 teachers from 11 non-  May 31, chief minister Uddhav Thac-  prepare for final year exams original-
             agricultural and undergrad colleges   keray announced a cabinet decision   ly scheduled for July. Clearly, UGC
             in India’s most industrialised state   to cancel the final year college and   members are aware that certifying
             (pop.115 million).               university exams invoking the Epi-  graduates without examinations will

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