Punjab CM seeks cancellation of college, varsity exams

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday said he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking cancellation of all university and college examinations in the interest and safety of the students.

The Chief Minister said he would seek revocation of the July 6 Ministry of Home Affairs orders on compulsory conduct of final term exams in the universities and colleges by September and withdrawal of the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines accordingly.

Covid cases in Punjab are increasing every day and are projected to peak in September, Singh said, adding that he was not ready to risk the lives of the students in these circumstances.

"How can we take the risk of exposing students by bringing them together for exams at this juncture?" said the Chief Minister.

He said the exams could not be held in online mode, which the UGC had suggested as an option, since a large section of the students in Punjab, especially in rural areas and among the backward communities, do not have access to affordable and uninterrupted Internet connectivity.