HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court (HC) on Thursday asked the State government if it can conduct the semester and final-year examinations of post-graduate and undergraduate courses online in view of the spike in Covid-19 cases in the State.
Many students live in rural areas and have to travel to Hyderabad to write these examinations. In the absence of private hostels, where will they stay, a division bench of the HC asked the government and directed it to inform the court if can hold the exams online.
“Prima facie, this court feels that all colleges should hold the examinations through the online mode. For instance, if a student, who lives in Adilabad, comes to Hyderabad to write these exams, where will he stay in the absence of private hostels? Even if he takes the risk of staying in a hotel, the student might jeopardise his life as the Covid-19 menace is rampant in the State,” the bench, comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy, observed.
The HC bench was hearing a PIL filed by Telangana NSUI president B Venkat Narsing Rao, who sought the postponement of all examinations scheduled from July 1 and promotion of all the students to the next semester/academic year without conducting the exams. Another PIL was filed by Gareeb guide voluntary organisation, which sought the postponement of the TS-EAMCET 2020.
Replying to a query from the bench, State Advocate General BS Prasad informed the court that the government is making all arrangements to hold the exams through ‘physical’ method as the syllabus and pattern in the final year will be of descriptive type. Therefore, holding such examinations online may not be feasible. But he sought some time to discuss this issue with the authorities concerned and said would inform the court by the next date of hearing.
Advocate C Damodar Reddy, appearing for Narsing Rao, stated that the Supreme Court had already directed the State governments to approach the University Grants Commission (UGC) and obtain its approval for holding various examinations. According to reports, Covid-19 cases will further increase this month, he said, urging the court to direct the Telangana government to either delay the exams or conduct them online. The bench posted the matter to September 14 for further hearing.