UGC sets up Expert Committee on Exam Delay due to COVID-19 pandemic

UGC Expert Committee on Exam Delay: As per the latest update, the University Grants Commission has setup an expert committee to assess the impact of exam delay on the overall exam calendar of the varsities. The setting up of the committee comes in response to the HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' call to academic institutions and authorities to start working on an alternative calendar for the examinations. Earlier in the month, all exams related to higher education institutions including universities and colleges, have been postponed with few even being cancelled due to the all-India lockdown announced the Government. Now, with the lockdown ending on 14th April 2020, it is important for UGC to frame an alternative exam calendar for these exams.

Expert Committee Report by 13^th April

The UGC’s Expert Committee on Exam Delay is expected to submit its report at the earliest, on 13^th April 2020 – a day before the lockdown is lifted across the country. UGC Secretary Rajesh Jain announced the formation of the committee on 6^th April 2020, which will comprise of 7 members. A letter issued by the UGC says ““The expert committee, under the guidance of the chairman, UGC, will discuss and submit the report at the earliest and preferably by 13th April 2020.”

7 Member Committee

The committee is headed by Central University of Haryana, RC Kuhad, and includes 7 Members who will be working on suggesting measures to counter impact of COVID-19 on annual semester exams of different varsities. The other members of the committee include Two Joint Secretaries of UGC, Director of Inter University Accelerator Centre as well as Vice Chancellors of Panjab University, Shri Vaishnav Vidyapeedh Vishwavidlyala and Banashtali Vidyapeedh. The Committee is expected to discuss all the issues related to restarting the academic process and holding of the exam and submit its report on it by 13^th April 2020.