Students see hope as SC admits PIL; UGC to respond within 3 days

After months of protest and requesting, students can finally find a breath of relief as the SC admits the pleas against UGC's guidelines for conducting the final year exams. So far, it's been the students versus the University Grants Commission.

The SC heard a batch of pleas on Monday against the UGC's guidelines. Students around the country have been asking UGC to revise its policy on conducting exams before September 30th.

Students hail SC's intervention

India has been an outcry from students against universities when it comes to conducting exams amid a global pandemic. The reason has remained the same, the threat to life, the risk of infection and inadequate infrastructure. So far, the government and the UGC have been providing piecemeal guidelines, still ploughing ahead with original plans but guaranteeing social distancing and safety.

Students have found supporters like Maharashtra youth leader Aditya Thackeray. Recently a batch of pleas were filed in the Supreme Court following the students' protest. On July 24th a bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan had heard the NSUI's plea on cancellation and postponement of exams including final year exams. However, the bench dismissed the plea.

Now, on July 27th a bench consisting of Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice Subhash Reddy and Justice MR Shah heard a batch of PILs filed against the UGC on its exam guidelines on account of the mandatory exams to be conducted by September 30th, and the debatable final year exams.

The first was the plea by 31 students across Indian universities who have opposed UGC's guidelines as arbitrary and insisted on the CBSE model of conducting exams on a later date for students not pleased with the internal assessment marks. The second was Yash Dubey's a final year law student who was represented by Senior Advocate Manu Singhvi. The third belonged to Yuva Sena leader Aditya Thackeray's, and finally final year student Krushna Waghmare's.

Advocate Alok Srivastava who appeared for the 31 students collectively, told the bench, "Today 50,000 covid19 cases have been registered. There needs to be a stay on these guidelines till the matter is pending," reported Bar and Bench. 

On the matter, the bench has sought the UGC's response to be filed within 3 days by July 30th. The matter will be heard on 31st July. Students are celebrating the small victory even as it's uncertain what might be the verdict.