As the world is passing through unprecedented times with the COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions and universities are facing multiple challenges. Schools, colleges and universities world over have had to close and examination schedules were disrupted.
UGC set up an expert committee to recommend guidelines for modes of teaching-learning process, academic calendar for the session 2019-20, 2020-21, modes of conducting examinations and functioning of laboratories.These are some of the significant guidelines provided by the expert committee for conducting examinations:
The committee has also suggested the academic calendar for 2019-2020 and has provided general guidelines for universities to follow.
UGC is finalizing a proposal to offer online degree courses to universities which fulfills one of the two criteria – Naac 3.01 and above CGPA (Grade A) or universities with top 100 NIRF rankings. The HRD ministry is likely to announce the new norms once the UGC finalizes the criteria.
Writ petitions were filed before the High Court of Karnataka by parents of students studying in classes 1 to 5 challenging the ban imposed on conducting online classes for children from LKG to class 5 by schools across all boards in the state and restraining the schools from collecting fees for the same. The Karnataka High Court has asked the state government to immediately consider allowing conduct of online classes for primary school students. A committee of experts submits its report on the issue of online education rom Grade 6 and above. There is however no stay of the Education Department circular dated June 15, 2020. The matter is now adjourned for hearing on June 29, 2020, and hopes are running high.
The Supreme Court has accepted the notification issued by the CBSE confirming that Class X and Class XII Board exams would stand cancelled in light of the COVID-19 crisis.
The notification provides that Class X students will be evaluated on the basis of a CBSE- formulated Assessment Scheme. However, Class XII students have an option to write the exams when the situation is conducive. This option is given in addition to the assessment scheme.
Some of the important areas of the marks averaging mechanism would be:
(a) For the students of both classes X and XII, who have completed all their examinations, their results will be declared based on their performance in the examinations.
(b) For students who have appeared in the examinations in more than 3 subjects, the average of the marks obtained in best three performing subjects will be awarded in the subjects whose examinations have not been conducted.
(c) For students who have appeared in the examinations in only 3 subjects, the average of the marks obtained in the best two performing subjects will be awarded in the subjects whose examinations have not been conducted.
(d) For student who have appeared in only 1 or 2 subjects. The results will be declared based on the performance in the appeared subjects and performance in internal/practical/project assessment.
A PIL has been filed before the Allahabad High Court seeking a direction to all private schools in the state to charge only tuition fee and detest from charging various other fee such as extra-curricular fee, library fee, computer fee etc. The PIL is pending with no stay orders yet.
A similar PIL to waive of school fee for differently abled children who are unable to attend online classes due to their disability is pending before the Lucknow High Court.
