Karnataka: All intermediate semester students will promoted says Deputy CM Ashwath Narayan

Karnataka: The State government has decided to conduct the final semester examination for undergraduate and post-graduate students in September. However, all students of intermediate semester will be promoted based on a comprehensive evaluation parameter. No examination will be held for them.

This is applicable for students pursuing undergraduate, post-graduate courses, engineering and diploma students. Speaking with media representatives on Friday, Deputy Chief Minister and Higher Education Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan said, "The Karnataka Governor, who is also the chancellor of universities has also given his assent for the same." He had added that the State government has taken this decision after consulting educationists and vice-chancellors of universities. He also said that this decision was taken keeping in mind the health concerns of students. The University Grants Commission too had stated that universities have to conduct exam for final semester students by September. The minister stated that this decision would be applicable only for students of academic year 2019-2020.

The minister said that the COVID 19 pandemic had disrupted the classes. Dr Narayan added, "Online learning introduced during the lockdown has received good response and the government tried its best to reach the last person in the chain. Amid these, we were considering conducting offline classes and examinations too, but owing to increase in the number of cases, we dropped the idea dropped and decided to promote all intermediate semester students. For final semester students, individual universities have to take a call on the examination schedule."

Elaborating on how intermediate semester students would be assessed, Dr Ashwath Narayan said that the students will be assessed based on a comprehensive evaluation scheme with internal assessment marks and previous year/semester marks considered in a 50:50 ratio. "For students in their first semester/year, the evaluation will be completely based on internal assessment marks", he said.

"Students who fail to succeed in the comprehensive evaluation process shall face examinations for respective subjects during the next semester. Backlog subjects will be allowed to carry over as well", he added. But final semester examination will have to be conducted as many companies who will hire students will consider the assessment of the students.

Online classes to begin from September 1

The Department of Higher Education department has decided to conduct online classes for the academic year 2020-21. The academic year will begin from September 1 and offline classes will be conducted from October 1.