West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to ‘re-examine’ the order of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to hold terminal examinations for colleges and universities. The letter comes days after State Education Secretary Manish Jain wrote to Secretary of Ministry of Human Resource and Development Amit Khare urging him to “re-examine the matter in the interest of the physical and mental well-being of students”.
Ms. Banerjee said her government has had extensive consultations with all the Vice-Chancellors and other stakeholders on June 27 where it has been decided that weightage to the internal assessment and previous semesters will be given to students.
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“The Universities/colleges aided by the State government have already taken steps as per the advisory issued by the Higher Education department,” she said in the letter. She said the discussions were held “considering such unforeseen, uncertain and challenging situation” with the trend of rising COVID-19 cases. The authorities urged the VCs to write to the UGC against the order.
“In fact, I am now receiving hundreds of emails from the students and the teaching community raising their concern compelling me to take up the matter with your good office.” She said students and the teaching community are assets and “we must take care of their physical and mental well- being”.
“I understand that various States have already raised the issue with the government of India,” Ms. Banerjee wrote in the letter.
