The University Grants Commission (UGC) has agreed to the proposal of the Meghalaya government that final semester exams in the state would be held between October 7 and October 16.
Meghalaya education minister Lahkmen Rymbui tweeted that NEHU will conduct exams as proposed on October 7, 9, 12, 14 and 16.
“Results will be declared by the end of October. The University will issue routine accordingly,” Rymbui said.
A letter sent to Meghalaya principal secretary (education) D P Wahlang by the UGC secretary, Rajnish Jain said, “Keeping in view the health and safety of the students and also in the larger interest of their academic progression, the UGC has decided to accede to your request.
“Accordingly, the final year / terminal semester examinations in colleges & universities in the State of Meghalaya be completed by October 16.
“Further, you are also requested to ensure that the result of these examinations be declared at the earliest and preferably by the end of October so that admissions to the first year of PG/ PhD programmes can be completed without any further delay and the next session can commence timely.”
On September 2, the Meghalaya government had requested the UGC to postpone the final year exams for undergraduate (UG) and post graduate (PG) students in the state.
Rymbui informed that in accordance with the Supreme Court that has given its recent ruling that universities and other institutions of higher education will have to conduct the final-year exams and cannot promote students on the basis of internal assessment or other criteria.
The Supreme Court had stated that if states or Union Territories seek to postpone the exam, the request shall be considered by the UGC and rescheduled dates for conducting the exam be communicated to such States/ Union Territories at the earliest.
For undergraduate students, the exams would be conducted both online and offline (examination centres) while online option for postgraduate students.
Students from Garo hills can also appear the exams from their respective districts and need not come to Shillong to write their exams.
Rymbui further said students stationed outside Meghalaya can appear the exams online.
“There are 2,000 postgraduate students including 700 of them from outside Meghalaya, and a total of 22,000 undergraduate students which include 3000 students from outside Meghalaya and 19,000 from within the state,” he said.