In a significant move, the Maharashtra government decided not to conduct the final-year exams for professional courses such as law, engineering, architecture, pharmacy and hotel management etc. owing to the coronavirus outbreak. 

Chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray wrote on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to instruct All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Council of Architecture (COA), Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), Bar Council of India (BCI), National Council of Teachers Education (NCTE) and National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT) to endorse the state’s decision and issue necessary guidelines.

The state also decided to award degrees to the final-year students pursuing professional courses on a formula based on their performance in previous exams.1

• 1. “Considering the current Covid-19 situation in the state, the state disaster management authority in its meeting held on June 18 decided not to conduct final-year examinations for non-professional courses as well as professional courses and award degrees based on a formula decided by the universities. Further, an option would be given to students who want to take exams whenever it is feasible to be held. It was also decided to get decision in respect of professional courses to be endorsed by the respective apex authorities as these courses are regulated by them,” the letter by Thackeray stated.