HYDERABAD: In a crucial decision to address the concerns pertaining to the issue of examinations during the trying COVID-19 times, Telangana Chief Minister decided to conduct examinations for the students of only final year pursuing undergraduate (Degree), post-graduate and engineering courses in the state.

To safeguard the sanctity of the education system, examinations for the final year students of these courses should be held as per the guidelines stipulated by the University Grants Commision (UGC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Giving relief to students of other years, the chief minister decided to promote all of them to the next year without conducting any examinations for this purpose.

KCR's decision effectively removes the stalemate and ambiguity that has been prevailing on the issue in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many states, even Telangana has decided to cancel crucial SSC and other examinations as a pre-emptive measure to contain the coronavirus pandemic. But the big question mark was hanging over so far on what should be the best way forward for the final year of UG, PG and engineering courses.

The Telangana chief minister on Thursday held an extensive review meeting at Pragathi Bhavan here on the education department. In the meeting, KCR deliberated with the department officials on the initiatives to be taken up by the government as the closure of educational institutions due to the coronavirus pandemic has jeopardised the future of the students in the state. He also discussed on ways to strengthen the education system.

Among the key decisions taken on this occasion, he directed authorities to start the new education year for the engineering stream from August 17th. He said that the state government would chalk out a new schedule for common entrance tests to ensure that the students don't lose out on the precisous education year.

KCR said that a decision would be taken very soon on when to resume educational institutions and on the mode of teaching, based on Centre's guidelines and also after studying the approach being adopted by other states in this regard.