Universities in the State have decided to promote second and fourth semester students in undergraduate programmes without conducting the examination as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines. However, they have decided to collect examination fees, a decision that has student organisations up in arms given that fees can be as high as ₹1,800.

As per the UGC guidelines, intermediate semester students should be assessed based on their internal evaluation marks of the current semester and previous semester marks. Final year students will have to appear for the examination.

Universities in Karnataka, which have passed the resolution of the new evaluation process in their respective syndicate meetings, defended their decision to charge examination fees. Ramesh B., Registrar (Evaluation), Bengaluru City University (BCU) said the varsity is collecting examination fees as it still has to process the results.

“Conducting the examination is just one step in the process. We still have to tabulate internal assessment and previous semester marks, and collate their scores. So students will have to pay the fee,” he said.

Amaresh Kadagada, State president, Students’ Federation of India, said several students and their families were in distress during the pandemic and were not in a position to pay examination fees. “Universities are charging up to ₹1,800 as examination fees. When colleges are not conducting examinations, why should students pay the examination fees,”he said.

Many teachers and principals are of the opinion that examinations need not have been cancelled. “We conducted offline classes for students and the COVID 19 situation in Karnataka is under control. We will be able to conduct the examination by taking all the necessary precautions. Students will become lax as they did not give the even semester examination last year,” a college principal said.