Supreme Court has adjourned the hearing on the petition against the conduct of the university final year examination today. The next hearing has been scheduled for August 10, according to Times of India. The Court said that it will not pass any orders on the issue today and the next hearing will be on August 10, adds the report.

The UGC had filed a reply on Thursday in which it said that the final year exams in the universities are compulsory and needs to be conducted before September 30 deadline. Students who are not able to participate in the exams will be give another chance to appear for the exam at an appropriate time.

Times of India states that a rejoinder to UGC’s response was filed by Advocate Alok Srivastava who said the reply has failed to take into account the airborne nature of the COVID-19 and the chance of students contracting it while appearing for the final year exam.

Srivastava said that one of the 31 petitioners who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 fears losing opportunities for jobs or admissions if they choose to appear for the special exam, schedule of which is still unclear, adds the report.

The Commission in its earlier response had said that states do not have the authority to contradict UGC guidelines and universities have to conduct the final year exam before the September 30 deadline.

The Commission had earlier in the month had said that examination contributes to “merit, lifelong credibility, wider global acceptability for admissions, scholarships, awards, placements, and better future prospects”.

The petition submitted in the court to cancel the exam has been moved by 31 students from different states and universities. The petition said that conducting the exams amid the worsening COVID-19 pandemic situation is not safe for the students, and should be cancelled in the interest of justice for the students.

The petition also requests the court that universities should declare the result based on internal assessment and previous performance and the mark sheet should be issued soon.