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The Karnataka government has decided to conduct final semester exams before the end of September. However, intermediate semester students pursuing degree and post-graduation courses including engineering, and diploma courses for the academic year 2019-2020 will be promoted without examinations.
Karnataka government's decision comes after consultation with educationalists and university vice chancellors, taking into consideration students' health, well being and future, a press release stated. The government said UGC guidelines were also taken into account.
“Covid19 has disrupted the education system - classes could not be held on time. Online learning introduced during the lockdown has received good responses and the Government promptly tried its best to reach the last person in the chain. Amid this, the government mulled conducting offline classes and examinations too, but owing to increase in the viral spread those thoughts have been dropped and it has been decided to pass & promote all intermediate semester students. Concerned Universities have been intimated to conduct examinations for all the final year/semester students” Deputy CM & Minister of Higher Education Dr Ashwath Narayan said.
INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS TO BE PROMOTED
“Intermediate semester students will be assessed based on a comprehensive evaluation scheme with internal assessment marks and previous year’s/semester’s marks considered in a 50:50 ratio. For students in their first semester/year, the evaluation will be completely based on internal assessment marks”, Dr. ACN said.
“If students feel to better their scores, provisions will be made for them to face examinations during the next semester and students who fail to succeed in the comprehensive evaluation process shall face examinations for respective subjects during the next semester. Backlog subjects will be allowed to carry over as well”, the Deputy CM further added.
WHY CONDUCT EXAMS FOR FINAL SEMESTER STUDENTS?
“Final semester exams will be conducted with due consideration given to students’ academic evaluation and their future lives. Academic evaluation forms the core of the higher education system and hence academic performance of students needs to be considered. Companies too will base their assessments on an individual student’s academic excellence and grades he/she secured. Thus, it would be pushing the students to danger in the future if examinations were not to be conducted now. In this regard, all universities have been informed to prepare themselves and make suitable arrangements for the conduct of final semester examinations”, the deputy CM said.
