Gujarat govt cancels college exams amid COVID, evaluation based on merit

State Education Minister Bhupenderasinh Chudasama said the government had taken the decision in the larger interest of students as majority of them are yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

An official release said, the merit-based progression system will be applicable to all undergraduates, except medical and paramedical students, studying in intermediate semesters, such as semesters 2, 4 and 6.

This system will be applicable to government and private universities, and their affiliated colleges, it was stated.

Around 9.5 lakh college students will be covered under this alternative system of evaluation and promotion, the official said. Instead of giving exams, undergraduate students will be graded based on their performance in the previous semester and internal exam marks, with each component carrying 50 per cent weightage, the release stated.

The state recorded 4,251 coronavirus positive cases and 65 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 7,80,71 and the toll to 9,469, an official said on Friday. The discharge of 8,783 people increased the recovery count to 6,86,581, or 87.97 per cent of the caseload, leaving the state with 84,421 active cases, of which 692 are on ventilator support, he said.

“Of the deaths reported during the last 24 hours, 10 took place in Ahmedabad district, seven each in Surat and Vadodara and six in Rajkot district. Of the new cases, 803 were in Ahmedabad city, followed by 367 in Vadodara city, 269 in Surat city, 175 in Rajkot city and 172 in Vadodara district,” he said.

An official release said 1,50,67,752 people had been vaccinated against COVID-19 so far in the state, including 1.17 lakh during the day.