#StudentsLivesMatter: Students show outrage at UGC decision to hold final exams

The Ministry of Human Resource and Development recently said the UGC final year exam 2020 of the universities, which had been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country, will be held in September. “The terminal semester will be conducted by the universities by the end of September, 2020 in offline (pen and paper) or online or blended (online + offline) mode,” the University Grants Commission (UGC) said. This has created outrage among students which has led to #StudentsLivesMatter trending on Twitter.

HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said, “The UGC has revisited its earlier guidelines related to university examinations. In view of the safety, career progression and placements of the students and their larger interests, after consulting MHA and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW).”

Delhi University students were dismayed as they had been protesting against the university’s decision to hold online open book exams for weeks. Both teachers and students had been expecting exams to be cancelled and several states and central universities. 

According to data from change.org, more than 100 petitions have been filed from March until now — requesting cancellation of various college, university and entrance exams. 

Students’ unions too have expressed their dismay at the UGC’s decision with the Students Federation of India (SFI) describing it as a “cruel joke”. The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has said that they will protest by burning the MHA notice regarding examinations. Meanwhile, students have started trending hashtags such as #StudentsLivesMatter and #PromoteFinalYearStudents on social media against the UGC guidelines.