Can students be passed on basis of previous semester performance: HC to Panjab University

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 23

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday not only asked Panjab University to consider the feasibility of passing the students on the basis of previous semesters’ performance, but also extended the stay on “final examinations” till August 13.

The direction by Justice Ritu Bahri came on a petition filed against Panjab University and other respondents by Yatin Mehta and other petitioners through counsel Harlove Singh Rajput.

The petitioners were seeking the quashing of orders and notifications issued between May 26 and June 19, whereby final-year students were directed to appear for their end-semester examinations.

As the case came up for resumed hearing, Justice Ritu Bahri asserted the varsity could consider and examine the issue of conducting final year examination, keeping in view the decisions taken by the government of Maharashtra and the Central University of Tamil Nadu, whereby “they decided to pass the students on the basis of previous semesters’ performance”.

Referring to a related petition, Justice Bahri observed some of the students would have to travel from far-off places such as Leh and Ladakh to take the final semester examination.

Appearing before the Bench through videoconferencing, the counsel had earlier referred to notification dated June 19 before submitting that the varsity was to conduct the final semester examinations in July.

He had also referred to the judgment passed by the Delhi High Court before contending that guidelines issued by University Grants Commission and the Ministries were unanimous that there was no compulsion on the varsity to conduct the final year examinations.

He had further referred to another notification dated March 18 passed by Symbiosis International (Deemed University), whereby they had taken a decision not to conduct the final examinations. The students were to be given grades on pro-rata basis on their current semester’s internal continuous assessment.