New exam guidelines issued by HRD, Home Ministry: Check full list here

The HRD Ministry and Home Ministry have issued the new exam guidelines or the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for examinations to be conducted in higher educational institutions across India. The fresh set of guidelines issued today has 31 points and a seating plan as well for students in the exam hall. It also includes compulsory masks and gloves, extensive sanitization procedure of exam halls and transportation, multiple gates etc. The official notice issued today also lists a few points that higher education institutes need to address now. “The performance in examinations brings in scholarships and awards and translates into better job placement. This would not only give them more confidence and satisfaction, but also ensure merit and lifelong credibility,” the notice today stated on why exams need to be conducted. The official notice asks institutions to chalk out a plan to conduct exams in “online/offline (pen and paper) or blended (online + offline) mode, after making a comprehensive assessment of their level of preparedness, residential status of the students, status of Covid-19 pandemic spread in different region/ state and all other such factors, to deal with any sort of exigency.” Meanwhile, students across India have been appealing to UGC and MHRD to cancel the final-year exams. India’s Covid-19 tally has also crossed the 7 lakh mark. However, UGC Vice President Bhushan Patwardhan told India Today on Thursday that exams were a must and degrees cannot be given without exams being conducted.

MHA letter to higher education secretary

The Ministry of Home Affairs on July 6 asked for college exams to be conducted compulsorily by the guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) approved by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. “The final term examinations are to be compulsorily conducted as per the UGC Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities, and as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) approved by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare,” the MHA wrote to the higher education secretary on the day.

Tweet from HRD Minister

Earlier in June, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal had tweeted: “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.

UGC guidelines issued in April

The UGC guidelines issued in April suggested that higher education exams be carried out in July and provided various options for conduct of examinations to be decided finally by the concerned university. It asked institutions to evaluate students of intermediate semesters based on internal assessment of the present and previous semester.

Full list of new exam guidelines and SOP issued by MHRD and MHA

1. The instructions, guidelines and orders issued by the central and state governments concerning the opening of educational institutions and safety and health should be abided by the universities and colleges. However, they may develop more stricter provisions and guidelines, if they find it necessary. 2. In case there is a restriction on movements in certain areas, admit/ identity cards issued to the students should be treated as a pass for the movement of students. State Governments should issue instructions to all local authorities to issue movement passes to invigilators and all personnel engaged in the conduct of examination. 3. Entire examination centre floors and walls, doors, gates, should be sprayed with disinfectant. 4. Fresh mask and gloves to be used by exam functionaries after staff verification is done. 5. Sanitizer bottles should be arranged at the entry gate, examination rooms, staff/observer room, etc. and should be replenished regularly. 6. All liquid handwash bottles should be replenished in restrooms and entry gate whenever required 7. Candidate Seating Area should be thoroughly sanitized (desk and the chair) after every session. 8. All the washrooms should be cleaned and disinfected. 9. All door handles, staircase railing rift buttons, etc. should be disinfected. 10. Wheelchairs, if present at the examination centres, should be disinfected. 11. All the trash bins should be cleaned. 12. Staff verification and self-declaration as suggested below must be done as soon as they report at the Centre

• Exam functionary must submit self-declaration about health status.
• Thermo gun temperature check must be done at staff entrance point
• If any Examination functionary fails to meet the self-declaration criteria, or thermo gun check, he/she will be asked to leave the examination centre immediately
• Exam functionary needs to wear the mask and gloves at all time

13. Cleanliness and hygienic conditions as per safety and health advisories of the concerned government departments are to be maintained at all places. 14. Proper signages, symbols, posters etc. should be displayed at appropriate place to maintain social distancing. 15. Downloading of 'Arogya Setu' App may be advised for every staff and student of the university and college. 16. Adequate arrangements of thermal scanners, sanitizers, facemasks, and hand gloves at all entry and exit points including the reception area. Wherever possible, students should be given fresh face masks by the Invigilators in the examination room itself. 17. Avoid crowding at entry and exit points. 18. Opening all the gates, of entry and exit, in case HEIs have more than one gate. 19. Senior staff should monitor the entry and exit.There should be proper markings with at least 2 meter distance where students stand while waiting for opening of the college gate. Exit of students should permitted one by one only. 20. Thermal Screening of students, wearing of face mask, sanitizing of hands etc. be ensured. 21. The Invigilators, while on duty, should be continuously wearing mask, and proper hand gloves. 22. The students should be asked to sanitize their hands before and after signing the Attendance Sheet. 23. Students having symptoms of fever, cough and cold should be either made to sit in a separate room or given a chance to appear on another day. 24. Hand washing stations with facilities of liquid soap should be made available so that every student can wash her/his hand frequently. 25. Keeping in view the physical distancing, institutions should have adequate rooms capacity to meet the proper seating arrangement for examination. Minimum distance between two students should be 2 meters. 26. Adequate arrangements for safe drinking water be made on the campus. 27. Adequate supply of water in toilets and for hand washing be ensured. 28. Dustbins must be cleaned and covered properly. 29. Proper sanitization of buses, other transport and official and vehicles of the institution. 30. At the end of the day- a. Used gloves and masks should be- disposed only in a pedal push covered bin at the Examination Centre and outside the examination room/hall b. Safely dispose off all used masks and gloves discarded at the examination centres or outside the examination centre in trash bin bags at suitable place and as per standard guidelines issued by health authority 31. Maintain record of all exam functionaries a. Record of all exam functionaries will be maintained in the system for future reference and traceability. b. Invigilator records are maintained in the system through staff verification processes. Sample seating plan

What do higher educational institutions need to note?

As per the official notice issued today, here are the points that higher educational institutions have been asked to address: 1. The implementation of instructions and directives regarding safety and health issues by the central and state government departments. 2. Uncertainty among students regarding modes of teaching-learning, completion of courses, examinations, evaluation, declaration of result, academic calendar, admissions, opening of institutions, etc. 3. Anxiety and stress developed during lockdown period and fear of COVID-19 after opening of campuses. 4. Safety measures including sanitisation of premises, thermal screening, ensuring physical distancing, mask wearing, hand washing etc. 5. Preparation for risk assessment and subsequent actions which varies - whether the institution is fully residential, partially residential or non-residential. The higher risk and bigger challenge is faced by non-residential institutions where the students will leave daily and come back next day. 6. Besides students, the risk of serious illness due to COVID-19 is faced by the faculty, counsellors, and other technical and non-teaching staff who face the students regularly. Source: India Today