Final Exams at Public Universities: UGC to sit with VCs Sunday

The University Grants Commission (UGC) will sit with the vice chancellors of all public universities next Sunday to reach a decision about the latter's demand of holding semester exams for final-year students.

Authorities of many public universities want to hold the exams to negate session jam and allow students to qualify for appearing at the upcoming BCS exams.

"We will hold a meeting with all public universities on December 13 to discuss the matter," UGC Chairman Prof Kazi Shahidullah told The Daily Star, after a monthly meeting of the commission yesterday evening.

Students, mostly those who have to sit for honours final year exams, are holding demonstrations demanding their exams be held. Students have contacted the authorities with their demands.

Universities are waiting for the decision of the UGC as it had asked universities in June to hold online classes, exams and practical classes will take place after normalcy returns.

UGC Member Prof Muhammed Alamgir and Chairperson Kazi Shahidullah both said that public universities can decide on holding the exams after consulting with their respective academic council, dean's committee and other bodies. 

Many public universities had sent letters or contacted UGC about their decision on exams especially those for honours final year and master's level students, said Alamgir.

Alamgir said that they came to know that students of several universities are holding protests with the demand of holding their exams.

Public universities are now conducting online classes as they have not been able to hold in-person classes since March 17, when the government closed all educational institutions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The closure was extended till December 19.

A UGC member said vice chancellors of several universities, while speaking at the meeting between them and UGC on December 1, raised the issue of holding semester final exams.

VCs said that many students were in the middle of their honours final year and postgraduate studies; some have completed theoretical exams and only need to appear at practical exams.

"VCs said that it is high time to allow public universities to hold the final exams of last semester honours students, so that they can take part in the upcoming BCS exam with an 'appeared' certificate," the member said.

The Bangladesh Civil Service is a highly competitive examination conducted by the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) for recruitment in various Bangladesh Civil Service cadres.

During the last week of November, BPSC published the circular of holding the 43rd BCS examination, aiming to recruit 1,814 people in different cadres.

The application process for the 43rd BCS will open on December 31 and the deadline is on January 30.