UGC asked to revisit guidelines for Intermediate, terminal semester examinations

New Delhi: Union Human Resource Development Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Wednesday (June 24) asked the University Grants Commission (UGC) to revisit the guidelines issued earlier for intermediate and terminal semester examinations and academic calendar. 

In a tweet, the HRD minister said, "I have advised the @ugc_india to revisit the guidelines issued earlier for intermediate and Terminal Semester examinations and academic calendar. The foundation for revisited guidelines shall be health and safety students, teachers and staff." 

I have advised the @ugc_india to revisit the guidelines issued earlier for intermediate and Terminal Semester examinations and academic calendar. The foundation for revisited guidelines shall be health and safety students, teachers and staff.@PIB_India @MIB_India @DDNewslive — Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) June 24, 2020

The HRD minister’s announcement came amidst speculations about the final-semester exams. According to reports, the UGC is likely to suggest scrapping final-semester exams in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country. 

Earlier, UGC guidelines on semester exams and academic calendar had suggested replacing intermediate semester exams with other forms of assessments.

Since the April guidelines, several states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Haryana cancelled all higher education exams.

Notably, the ministry today also released a roadmap for NCERT for the year 2020-21. The decision has been taken in view of the decision to set up Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Mission under AtmaNirbhar Bharat, said an official statement.

The statement said, "In view of the focus of Samagra Shiksha towards a Learning Outcome centric approach, it is necessary that NCERT develops the required resources for implementing these in an effective and timely manner, leading to all-around improvement in learning outcomes and learning levels of students."  

NCERT has been directed by the DoSEL, MHRD to take up the following tasks on priority in 2020-21.

The new National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for School Education has also been initiated. NCERT will be expected to make changes in the textbooks in accordance with the new NCF.  

NCERT will also start working on the layout and design of the new textbooks well in advance, however, the new textbooks shall be written based on the new NCF. The new NCF is expected to be ready by March 2021.

Under AtmaNirbhar Bharat, for PM E-Vidya, NCERT is also expected to prepare content for class 1– 12 for SWAYAM PRABHA channels (1 class 1 channel) and start the channels by August this year.