Entrance exam will be conducted when it is safe for students: JNU VC

He also suggested that the universities which conduct admissions based on class 12 marks should devise appropriate measures for fair and transparent admission in undergraduate courses.
JNU vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar (Photo | PTI)
JNU vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar (Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI:  Welcoming the central government’s decision to cancel class 12 board exams this year, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar on Wednesday said the varsity will conduct entrance exams whenever it is safe for students. 

He also suggested that the universities which conduct admissions based on class 12 marks should devise appropriate measures for fair and transparent admission in undergraduate courses. “The decision taken with regard to class 12 exams is pragmatic and rational considering the fact that the Covid pandemic is a once-in-a- century occurrence. The health and safety of students are of paramount importance,” said Kumar. 

The VC said that in most of the higher educational institutes such as JNU, admission to undergraduate programmes is through an entrance examination. “We will conduct the entrance examination whenever it is safe for the students to appear for it. If the entrance exam is delayed due to the pandemic situation and if the admission happens at a later date than usual, we will surely adjust our academic calendar to take care of the lost time without compromising the academic rigour,” said the VC. 

Further, he said, “Our Indian educational system is capable of meeting these challenges. In HEIs where the undergraduate admission is based on class 12 marks, the universities can devise appropriate procedures for admission which are fair and transparent.”

DU, Ambedkar varsity to wait for CBSE criteria
New Delhi: The cancellation of class 12 board exams will not have much of an impact on JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia and the IP University here since they conduct entrance tests for admission into undergraduate courses. However, the Delhi University and the Ambedkar University will wait for the CBSE criteria to carry out merit-based admissions.

Delhi University’s (DU) acting vice-chancellor PC Joshi said discussions will be held with the admission committee and the academic council of the university to finalise the process of admission to undergraduate courses. Nearly 98 per cent of the applicants to the DU are CBSE students. The Ambedkar University, which also conducts admissions on the basis of cut-off like DU, in a statement said it is a “timely and welcome decision by the government”. “The process of admission will be merit-based, as has been done till the last academic session,” it said.

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