Public varsities can take final exams as per academic councils’ decision

Staff Correspondent: The public universities of the country can take their honours and masters’ final year examinations as per the decisions taken by their respective academic councils.
The decision was taken at a virtual meeting attended by 39 vice-chancellors of the country’s public universities, which was presided over by University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairperson Prof Kazi Shahidullah.
Meanwhile, a UGC member presented a set of recommendations on semester final examinations, practical classes and its evaluation process.
The meeting also decided to keep other coronavirus pandemic restrictions in place.
“No public universities will be able to keep the residential halls open,” acting UGC Secretary Ferdous Zaman told.
He said that students will have to arrange their own residential facilities for the duration of the exams on their own.
Many students were in the middle of the honours final year and postgraduate level, the UGC secretary said, adding that some candidates have completed theoretical exams and need to just appear in practical exams.
UGC held the meeting with VCs as authorities of many public universities want to hold the exams to negate session jam and ensure students qualify for sitting in the upcoming BCS exams.
Several universities including Dhaka University and Jagannath University already said that they would hold the final exams. National University asked all students to prepare for final exams as well.
Students, mostly of honours final year exams, are holding demonstrations demanding exams and some of them are contacting authorities with the same demand.
Universities are waiting for the decision of the UGC as it had asked all universities in June to hold online classes, exams and practical classes after normalcy returns.